Speaking at the annual convocation of the Azim Premji University (APU), Chancellor Chairman Azim Premji lamented on the problems that faced education. He said of the nearly 6 million teachers, twenty percent were not sincere and committed, 60 percent were willing to learn, while the reamining 20 percent were committed.
Premji extolled students to go to rural areas and work to develop the education sector. “There’s a need for deeply committed teachers. At times, government schools in rural areas are better than private schools,” he said.
“Improving public education is the responsibility of the government and we are also working in collaboration with various state governments. Transforming education is a very complex task, given the diversity of our country, compounded by issues of socio-economic deprivation and other ground realities. Citizens should also help the government,” Premji said.
Premji also said there was an acute lack of quality higher education to prepare people to work in the education and social sectors. India is investing only 3 percent of its GDP in education, while countries like Finland invest 8 percent of the GDP. He said India needed to invest at least 4-6 percent of the GDP.
Applauding the graduates of APU, Premji said, “70 percent of the graduates from the first batch of APU are working with NGOs in rural areas and they are not attracted to high salaries in the city.”
