Take up teaching,bridge talent-opportunity gap

a day with US state secy z Hillary-Aamir joint call to bright youth to take care of those falling behind

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Bollywood star Aamir Khan found a common ground on Saturday when both made an earnest call for bright youngsters to take up teaching to narrow the gap between talent and education opportunities across India.

At an interaction with students at St Xaviers College,Clinton said India and the US can work together on the common cause of educational opportunity.

On challenges that the US education system faces,Clinton said: Our educational system has the greatest schools and universities. Yet,we dont take care of those who fall behind.

She said a part of the challenge is in ensuring that those from the marginalised groups get adequate attention in schools. We still have much to do on equal education for all.

Comparing that with similar challenges in India,she said top institutes here have matched global standards. But hundreds of levels down,millions of children do not have adequate access to education.

She said Indias challenge is to take education to rural parts where infrastructure and facilities are lacking.

Khan,in his address,called for Indias brightest minds to take up teaching. Teaching should be among the highest paid jobs, he said.

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He said children need to be encouraged to disagree and question,challenge and discover.

Earlier in the day,Clinton met Ratan Tata and other business leaders from Mumbai,and discussed corporate responsibility and clean energy among other things. Before meeting the press,she also signed a commemorative book at the Taj Mahal Palace amp; Towers in honour of the victims of the 26/11 terror attack.

Clinton then met craftswomen from Kutch,Gujarat,at Hansiba Creations Napean Sea Road store where products manufactured by members of SEWA Self Employed Womens Association are retailed.

Clinton has been associated with SEWA for over a decade. Visiting Gujarat as the First Lady of the US in 1995,she had met Ela Bhatt,the founder of the 1.1 million-member NGO working for womens empowerment in Gujarat.

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At the store,she chatted briefly with the women who are shareholders of STFC SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre,a not-for-profit company jointly owned and managed by over 3,200 rural artisans. Bhatt said,We are extremely honoured to extend a welcome to Ms Clinton today and thank her for her support to SEWA over the years. She has demonstrated a keen interest in the progress of SEWA and has brought forth the issues of the poor,informal sector workers to global policy debates.

The SEWA members and artisans also sang the Gujarati version of We Shall Overcome before Clinton bade goodbye.