First Person: Skill enhancement, focus on health key to improving education in state

Marshall Goldsmith Leadership and Life Coach and Rotary International Director (2027-2029) from Punjab, Gurjit Sekhon talks to Mahesh Sharma on the need for multi-dimensional efforts to upgrade education and training through improvement of fundamental facilities, including healthcare, civic amenities and infrastructure.

How long have you been active in the field of education?

I have been actively involved in promotion of education and training in fields of Information Technology, agriculture, marketing, travel industry and leadership for more than three decades.

What is the level of acceptance of Punjab’s education at international level?

Not only at international level but at the local level too, important companies are not accepting our degree holders in various streams due to lack of required practical knowledge and skills. Unfortunately, a large number of our engineers and degree holders in various fields have been recruited by huge companies but have not been onboarded.

What are the major factors behind such a poor performance?

Unfortunately, our policymakers have failed to recognise the role of fundamental facilities, including healthcare, civic amenities and infrastructure in upgrading the level of education.

How can institutes improve the level of education imparted?

They should focus on skill enhancement of their faculty and physical and psychological health of their students before anything else. This would cost these institutions the least.

Can international organisations prove helpful in this regard?

All educational, professional, financial and political organisations should avail services of international service organisations which are the most efficacious source of human resources in skill enhancement and leadership training. As a volunteer of my organisation, I myself might have imparted training to around 50,000 enthusiasts from across North India who are presently serving at top positions of esteemed organisations at national and international level.

How can you help government, private institutes yield better results?

Now that I have been elected Rotary International Director from two zone representing Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, UP and Uttarakhand for three years, I will put in my

best efforts to highlight the issue of education here on a global platform and coordinate with governments of the respective states for taking remedial steps to hone market-ready skills of our students.