India's technical education best in the world, says Clinton

Lalit K Jha

Washington, Aug 19 (PTI) Lauding India's technical
education system, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
believes the country is one of the best in this field, though
it faces a challenge of providing adequate primary education
to millions of children.

"You can look at the very best in Indian education,
and it's the best in the world. You can look at the technical
education and it is to be envied. It is so effective," Clinton
said in response to a question which was texted to her during
her recent trip to India.

Answers by the top US diplomat to select questions
have now been posted on the State Department's website.

Clinton said millions of children in India, however,
don't have adequate primary education or secondary education
or, certainly, college education.

"India faces the challenge of so many people to serve
in very rural areas, often without adequate infrastructure, so
you have to come to grips with how you actually produce the
schools that are needed, the teachers who will be dedicated,
the curriculum and materials that are required," she said.

"It is truly up to all of us -- families, governments,
businesses, educational institutions -- to do everything we
can to give every child a chance to grow up and fulfill his or
her God-given potential," Clinton said.

Referring to her trip to Mumbai last month where she
discussed education with volunteers from Teach India and Teach
for India, Clinton said their passion for service lit up their
faces as they talked about the importance of giving every
Indian child the chance for an excellent education.

"The underpinning of global progress is education
across the entire spectrum, from early schooling to the
advanced research and post-graduate work," she said.

The question was asked by Ashish from Massachusetts
who on a recent trip to Mumbai, had the opportunity to talk to
many young migrant workers who arrive in the country's
financial capital from remote villages every week, in a bid to
earn their livelihood.

"In this process, they are permanently starved from an
education, which could perhaps give them a better future some
day. Do you feel that under the new administration, the United
States would take a consistently active interest in monitoring
and assisting the educational challenges of many children and
young adults in developing countries?" Ashish had asked. PTI