New Delhi, Jan 3 (IANS): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday said education has been a key element in the UPA government's strategy to "increase the productive capacity of the economy".

"Education has been a key element of our strategy to increase the productive capacity of our economy and improve access to better jobs," the prime minister said at a media interaction here.

"I have myself been a beneficiary of liberal scholarships and public investment in education. I can therefore well understand the critical importance of investing in education," he said.

Manmohan Singh added: "I take great pride in the fact that we have transformed the educational landscape of our country through 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan' and new scholarships for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes."

He said the UPA government has set up new universities, new institutes of science and technology and other new training centres and enabled the flowering of individual enterprise in skill building and education.