‘It is easier to transport knowledge to underprivileged than to transport underprivileged to the people of knowledge’ -thanks to Distance and continuing Education of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University

Trichy 3, April: ‘‘It is easier to transport knowledge to underprivileged than to transport underprivileged to the people of knowledge’ -thanks to Distance and continuing Education of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University Mrs.P.Chitra, Secretary, South Zone Board of Continuing Education in a seminar orgnised by SICE, Trichy here on Sunday on ‘Distance and Continuing Education’. SICE (Sevai Institute of Continuing Education) functions as one of the study centre of Directorate of Distance and Continuing Education of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.The students of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University Tirunelveli enrolled under distance Education mode by the University authorized centre G-36-SICE, Trichy centre mostly members of the Self help groups or their members of the families OF Trichirappalli District.Mrs.P.Chitra appreciated ‘Manonmaniam Sundaranar University for taking Higher Education to the door steps of women self Help Groups under their Distance Education mode as  Women form the pivotal point around whom family life and living revolves’. Mrs.P.Chitra added ‘Development is a process of structural change in the economic, political, social and cultural domains. It starts with people as they are the primary and ultimate focus of all development. It empowers women through Distance Learning, historically explores the causes and reasons for long denial of formal education to women. Distance Education has emerged as a boon to women of all ages to equip themselves intellectually through acquisition of knowledge, leading them to new radical methods of thinking, and alternative, lateral perspectives on existing information thus rendering them more autonomous and liberated. It enhances the aspirants personal and professional competence-to Self Help Women who wish to profitably use their time and resources to satisfy their deferred academic aspirations- who have no access to the mainline educational system and it is committed to provide access to affordable, supportive and flexible but quality education to all women seekers of knowledge from all walks of life. Women empowerment is a global issue. Empowerment is an active multi-dimensional process which enables women to realize their full identity and powers in all spheres of life. The special characteristic of this Distance and continuing Education is that it is endowed with high flexibility and can meet the demands of education for all and `continuing education' which the conventional education system is unable to meet. Further, distance education takes education to places and people hitherto unreached, transcending social, economic and geographical equality and thereby opens a new vista in our striving towards breaking the barriers of `opportunity and equity'. Through distance education it is easier to transport knowledge to people than transport people to the people of knowledge. Women as a category could really take advantage of the provision of distance education in a large measure’. The barriers for the low percentage of enrollment of women in higher education, there are two distinct aspects to women's participation in higher education. One is access and the other is continuation. There are several socio-economic-cultural factors which hinder women's enrollment in higher education. The attitude of parents, especially the uneducated and very conservative parents is such that they do not see any value or necessity for educating girls. In fact, there is resistance and hesitation for investment in girls' education as the parents do not expect to get returns from this. Parents also hesitate to send girls to colleges, if no exclusive women's college is available in their vicinity. The Self Help Group movement gives courage to women to aspire for higher education and it is good that Manonmaniam Sundaranar University reaches the remotest villages under their distance education mode’ and the SHGs and Study centres should come up to the highest level of gaining knowing through higher education under distance and continuing Education mode.’Govin
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