Programmes started by Arjun will not be scrapped, says Sibal

Programmes in the education sector initiated by previous HRD Minister Arjun Singh will not be scrapped, Kapil Sibal today said as he assumed charge as HRD Minister.

After taking over, Sibal said the policies and programmes started by the HRD Ministry during last five years will be continued with modifications "as required".

"Whatever policy has been started or rules and regulations framed by the previous government will not be scrapped. I respect my predecessor, who is a respectable leader of the Congress," he told reporters.

Sibal, however, said changes were required in the education sector to enable the children and youth to compete with their counterparts at the international level.

"Nothing is static. We have to march forward to be able to compete at the international level," he said.

Sibal said changes are required with respect to curriculum at every stages. "Skill development is our priority. Our youth do not get jobs because our curriculum has not been changed. The curriculum of schools and universities should be upgraded," he said.

Even the IITs, which are considered centres of excellence, need to upgrade themselves with the changing times, he added.

On whether the ministry would consider implementation of the recommendations of National Knowledge Commission (NKC) on education reformes, Sibal replied in the affirmative.

"NKC has been pivotal in creation of a knowledge economy and knowledge society. We will look at the recommendations of the NKC carefully," he said.

The NKC and HRD Ministry were at loggerhead ever since the Commission was established in 2005 by PM Manmohan Singh. The ministry had ignored most of the recommendations of the NKC, including suggestions for starting a regulatory authority on higher education.

He said the main challenge before the education sector is having a synergy between quality and access.

"We want to ensure that every child and youth gets education. We will bring a balance between quality and access in education," he said.

The minister's views assume significance in view of the high dropout rates of students at elementary level.

Sibal said the government will put in place a system under which needy children will get economic support for studies. "No child in the country should be denied education because he or she is poor," he said.

The Right to Education Bill, which has been introduced in Rajya Sabha, will be taken forward, he said adding that there was also a need for synergy between science and technology and education.