PRIA celebrated the International Literacy Day, 8 September, with a Special Address on “Lifelong Learning and the Challenges of Human Development in India Today” by Prof. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi.

In his extensive and thought-provoking remarks on education, Prof. Pillai said education is a range of activities undertaken to improve the quality of life. He said the knowledge and expertise of the so-called “uneducated” are much higher than the formally educated, and the need of the hour is to make use of their knowledge in learning today. Unlearning, which is getting rid of one’s prejudices, is an important part of learning process. He lamented on the poor state of use of technology by teachers today. India needs more teachers in quantity and quality. Distance education plays a major role in realising social mobility. Adding further on the human development challenge in India, Prof. Pillai said, nutrition and basic education are the important interventions required.

Dr. Tandon in his address said that the roots of participatory research are located in literacy and adult education. Education is the fundamental input in human development. He said that PRIA is reaffirming its commitment to the work on education of those who have been excluded in society by transcending the boundaries of informal, non-formal learning and formal structured education.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IGNOU was signed by PRIA in August 2008 for running a two-year Masters and one-year Diploma in Managing Participatory Development. The course content, which is the result of an year -long effort of members of PRIA and IGNOU, was handed over to Prof. Pillai during the occasion. The Masters programme will be launched from January 2010.

Dr. M. Chandrashekharan Nair, Director, Centre for Extension Education, IGNOU; Shri. Uday Singh Tolia, Registrar, IGNOU, and a host of dignitaries representing academic and non-governmental organisations attended the function held at PRIA campus.