'Link between normal and job-oriented education missing'

Skill-development and workforce in India is meagre as compared to other nations and the country is missing the link between normal and job-oriented education, a top Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) official said here today.
"We talk about so many things, about personality development of a child, about holistic development of a child, but somewhere we are missing the link between normal and job-oriented education.
"Statistics clearly show that skill-development and workforce in India is meagre compared to other nations," CBSE Director (EDUSAT and Vocational) M V V Prasada Rao said at the 'Global Conference on Skilling in schools' here.

"Skill is not just related to job-oriented courses but is important in every part of life. Teachers need skill, principals need skill, administration needs skill, everybody needs skill. We are missing skill in school," he said.
Rao said vocational education is not a new terminology, the problem is at the acceptance level.
"A child interested in physics, chemistry and biology is not being taught about the importance of vocational education. The problem is at the school level. It is only because of the mindset that vocational education has not been developed. We need skilled people to develop this nation.
"Parents want their children to be doctor or engineer but vocational training is equally important like that of normal education," he said.