Imperatives for Teacher Empowerment in Devising Extension Education as Part of the Holistic Curriculum for Hospitality and Tourism Domains: A Conceptual Study in Indian Context

Abstract

The role of educator or teacher in the Indian context is circumscribed by the objective of social transformation as articulated in the Indian National Movement and later enshrined in the Preamble to the Indian Constitution, in the Fundamental Rights, and in the Directive Principles of State Policy. Extension, which is the additional dimension of professional practice among teachers at higher education, can be used as a revolutionary tool to modify the existing slogan of “education for all” to “education for all and forever”, thereby making the “lifelong education” a reality. This conceptual paper addresses the twin needs of preparing the students for individual growth as also to facilitate them to contribute to social development. It focuses on the inclusion of the measures required to be taken for providing social consciousness and sensitivity, as this happens to be a neglected part of the curriculum. The extra effort so needed to build community-based activities presupposes the requirement for professional training to be given to the hospitality and tourism educators as a continuing education initiative.