Source:www.sagarsandesh.com
As anticipated by the organisers of World Shipping
Forum-2013, the panel discussion on “Maritime Education & Training – An
outlook towards the future,” drew good response and gave birth to several
suggestions for improvement.
Though ideas like completely delinking MET from the Directorate
General of Shipping (DGS) and setting up a different and dedicated governing
body for it and viability of Commercially Trading Training Ship for cadets’ onboard
training raised eyebrows of many present over there, such suggestions have
rekindled the hope that they are indeed at a critical juncture from where treading
needs more cautiousness.
Capt. S. Bhardwaj, Emeritus Professor & former Vice- Chancellor,
AMET University, set the ball rolling for the allimportant panel discussion by outlining
the need for such open debate on MET.
Initiating the discussion, Mr. Gautam Chatterjee,
Director General of Shipping, said: “We need a proper estimation of global
demand for seafarers. I will call upon professional bodies of master mariners
and marine engineers to play a proactive role in policy combinations while maintaining
a data base of resource personnel for maritime training. And also help
me arrive at proper information about maritime education.”
After pondering over different points for the improvement
of maritime education and training put forward by numerous speakers, jury for
the panel discussion came out with their observation on the whole proceedings.
Taking note of the observation that more thrust should be
given to training rather than maritime education, Dr. G. Raghuram,
Vice-Chancellor of Indian Maritime University, and one of the jury for the
discussion, said: “I am very clear that we have to think of education, because
education is the key and that is our moral responsibility.”
He also added that there should be more scope for research
for the faculties in maritime education, so that students can get opportunities
to know the latest updates in the sector.
Driving home the message at the panel discussion, Dr. R. Lakshmipathy,
President of RL Institute of Nautical Sciences (RLINS), Madurai, and one of the
jury for the lively debate, strongly suggested that the entire system of
education and training should be taken out of the purview of the Directorate
General of Shipping, which is controlling the maritime education along with
other important responsibilities concerning shipping.
Dr. Lakshmipathy stated: “Maritime education and training
is one among the 10 primary responsibilities for the Directorate General of
Shipping and going by the pre-occupation, DGS can spend only about 10 per cent
of its time for improving it. In 1997, when private players were allowed to set
up maritime training institutions, there were only four institutes. But there
are nearly 140 institutes now and sparing only 10 per cent time means the DGS
can only do a policing job (on them) and not any constructive job to improve quality
of education could be carried out.”
Hence, he pointed out, there is a pressing need for a
separate Directorate for maritime education and training to improve quality
standards of maritime education.”
He added: “We need technocrats to head the Directorate
at the national level to man the entire system like the Directorate of
Technical Education. Continuous monitoring can be achieved by a dedicated team
of authorities whose 100 per cent concentration will be available on day-to-day
basis for the cause of maritime education and training.”
“The second important point for improving competency in maritime
education is to introduce latest technology and developments into the syllabus.
It was designed some 14 years ago and we are still following it. The syllabus
must be defined to meet the industry need and revised periodically to bring it
on par with international scenario,” he opined.
Recording his views at the panel discussion as one of the
jury, Mr. J. Ramachandran, Chairman, AMET University, noted: “I would like to
focus on sea-time, which is a very grave issue now. I request the forum to form
a committee of top maritime bodies and institutions to immediately look into
the seatime issue. I have got three proposals for solving the
sea-time problem. Already we have ships running between Andaman and mainland (Chennai, Kolkatta
and Vizag). Since these ships have more than 1000 berths (I each ship), about 200 berths can
be converted and they can be given to cadets for sea-time training,” Mr.
Ramachandran felt.
Dr. (Mrs.) Sujata Naik Tolani, Vice Chairperson, Tolani Maritime
Institute Governing Council, and one of the jury, observed that there is a disconnect
about maritime education and onboard jobs with the latest generation. She also urged
the maritime educationists to introspect on what has gone wrong in inculcating
best maritime education to the cadets.
At the end, organisers assured the participants of the
panel discussion that all of their observations ould be recorded into a document and pursued
with the Government authorities for early solution.
More than 200 delegates, including from abroad, attended the
discussion and hailed it as a step in the right direction.
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