SRINAGAR: Advisor to Chief Minister, Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, the co-chairman J&K Government’s Knowledge Initiative, Wednesday stressed the need for long-term goal to help institutionalize a robust education system in the State that can form the backbone of the knowledge society.
He was speaking today at an interactive session at the University of Kashmir’s Human Resource Development Centre.
The interactive session was organised by Human Resource Development (HRD) Centre, Kashmir University. Vice Chancellor Kashmir University Prof. Khursheed Andrabi Presided over the interactive session, which was among others attended by Prof Gul wani, Director HRD, University faculty, academicians, college faculty and students.
Prof. Amitabh Mattoo spoke at length about the Knowledge Initiative Which he co-chairs with Education Minister, Syed Altaf Bukhari and sought the active participation and support of the University Community.
Advisor stated that the Knowledge Initiative is a work-in-progress to help provide the State Government with a blueprint for strategic interventions in the Education Sector that can ensure the empowerment of the State’s youth in a knowledge society.
Prof. Mattoo stated that in contemporary times a knowledge society is one which is equipped to address complex challenges facing it in a diversity of areas through by using the right ideas to make the most optimal policy choices.
“We need to look inwards as well as outside. A healthy balance of best practices, local and global, combined with state-of-the-art technology needs to guide our effort, “he said.
“Few people can forecast the jobs that will be needed for the future,but there is growing clarity on what skills may be needed to address the problems of this century. These include Problem solving or Critical Thinking; Creativity; Analytical thinking; Communication; Collaborative skills; and Ethical foundations”, he maintained.
Prof. Mattoo said, “I have taught in Universities in 4 continents; I can say with some authority that ideas liberate, more than power can ever do. That is why I believe Knowledge is synonymous with Freedom and Education empowers more than any other Revolutionary action. To live, think, debate, argue and even dissent in an open society and to be able to address the most serious issues in a deliberative way forms the foundation of a Knowledge Society This is the challenge before the all of us.”
The VC Prof. Khursheed Andrabi also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the importance of having a knowledge initiative in the State.
The session was followed by session in which the participants suggested various means to make the knowledge commission a broad based initiative.
