Two institutions in Mapusa -- Xavier's and Britto's -- have been talking about the possibilities of having their 'community colleges' attached to their institutions.
If you want to know what a 'community college' is all about, take a look at this excellent report, from the Planning Commission: The Impact and Prospects of the Community College System in India http://planningcommission.nic.in/reports/sereport/ser/stdy_commty.pdf The 'community colleges' idea has been assimilated into India, and re-engineered for local needs, starting in places like South India. Some of the goals which the 'community colleges' were set up in the south of India include: * To Include the excluded * Giving the best to the least * Matching education with employment. * Close linkage with industries * The participation of the community * The development of skills and competencies * Enhancing the employability of the poor and the marginalised This sounded interesting to me: OPENQUOTE The key words of the Community College system are access, flexibility in curriculum and teaching methodology, cost effectiveness and equal opportunity in collaboration with industrial, commercial and service sectors of the local area and responding to the social needs and issues of the local community, internship and job placement within the local area, promotion of self employment and small business development, declaration of competence and eligibility for employment. CLOSEQUOTE On reading further, I also came across some other interesting aspects: OPENQUOTE The Community Colleges should be established by non-profit making, noncommercial and community based organisation with proven years of service to the local community. The establishment of the Community Colleges should be preceded by an extensive *need analysis* of the employment opportunities available in the local area and also the social needs of the community. The target group of the Community College is 12th passed students, school drop out, rural youth, rural women, existing workforce that wants to update its skills and all who want skill based and need based education at an affordable price. There is no age limit for admission into a Community College. The close and active linkage between Industries and Community College is a must for the success of the Community College System. The industrial partners help the College in designing the curriculum, providing part time instructors, serving as members of the advisory board and the governing board, taking students for internship and helping them to find job placement. The Community College is a Multi-campus reality. The Community College is permitted to the optimum utilization of the existing Infrastructural facilities available to the community-based organisation that establishes the Community College. CLOSEQUOTE Wonder what you others feel about community colleges. Please share your thoughts! FN For every 100 children only four reach the collegiate level. About 150 million children go to the primary school. On an average only six million reach the collegiate level, and 70% of the school children do not go for higher education. (Alphonse Xavier, People Building Business, September 2000, p.91) -- FN * Independent Journalist http://fn.goa-india.org Ph +91-832-2409490 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Goa http://www.linkedin.com/in/fredericknoronha
