Karnataka CM and daughter face criticism over remarks on teachers
Stakeholders condemn the state government's proposal to allow private institutions to adopt government schools.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and his daughter, educationist Aishwarya DKS Hegde, have faced criticism following remarks regarding the quality of teachers in state-run schools, according to the Deccan Herald.
Speaking at a CSR event for the Karnataka Public School in Doddalahalli, Aishwarya DKS Hegde said that low efficiency is a greater problem than teacher shortages. She noted that despite salaries of Rs 1.1 lakh, teachers were not attending school five days a week and called for greater accountability.
Chief Minister Shivakumar also expressed disappointment with the commitment of teachers receiving salaries of Rs 1.5 lakh, though he clarified he was not referring to all government schoolteachers.
The Save Public Education Committee accused the government of shifting blame onto teachers to avoid addressing policy failures. The committee described the proposal to allow private institutions to adopt government schools as an 'anti-people' initiative.
JD(S) MLC A P Ranganath, representing the Bangalore Teachers’ Constituency, said the remarks insult teachers who must clear government tests to qualify for their jobs. The All-India Democratic Students’ Organisation has called for the government to withdraw its policy.
The Pre-University Lecturers’ Association President A H Ningegowda urged the government to fill vacant posts, while the RTE Students Parents Association stated that state-run schools are the responsibility of the government.