Noting that education aims to produce good human beings with skill and expertise, former President APJ Abdul Kalam on Saturday asked students to set their goal and work hard with perseverance to achieve it.

“The purpose of education is to make good human beings with skill and expertise… enlightened human beings can be created by teachers,” Kalam said at the 150th anniversary function of Chandrasekhar Behera Zila School here.

Asking the students to become good human beings, set their goals and work hard to achieve it, the former President stressed on fixed aim in life, continuous acquisition of knowledge, hard work and perseverance to achieve success. Kalam, who started his speech in Sambalpuri, said knowledge is the assimilation of creativity, righteousness and courage.

“Where there is righteousness in the heart there is harmony in the house, when there is harmony in the house there is order in the nation, when there is order in the nation there is peace in the world,” Kalam said.

Stating that problems should be handled boldly, he said the youths should have the qualities to successfully overcome hurdles and effectively deal with problems in life.

Answering queries, Kalam said the primary education in the country makes the Indian education system unique as it was different from the systems in other countries.

Kalam also released a souvenir during the occasion. State School and Mass Education Minister DP Mishra was among the dignitaries present.

Kalam also attended a programme at Nalco premises in Angul and interacted with the school students there. “The success of Rs 450-crore Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) was given the nation a reason to smile and inspire us to dream,” the former president told the students.

Kalam told that the 2020 agenda of the nation should be economic connectivity, equity distribution, health care, corruption free governance and sustainable growth. To achieve the agenda, the country should be transferred to a ‘ economic developed nation’. He urged the students to actively participate to achieve this goal. Kalam answered various questions of the students.

The meeting was presided over by Nalco CMD Ansuman Das. Angul Collector Sachin R Jadav and School and Mass Education Secretary Usha Padhi presented memento to the former President.