Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishweshwar Heggade Kageri on Friday said in time to come, teachers should play an active role in formulating the agenda of the state education department.
“Ministers and officials come and go. But you (teachers) have the experience required. You should tell how education can improve. I want teachers to form the agenda of the state education department,” Kageri said. He was addressing teachers at a programme to celebrate World Teachers’ Day, organised by the Karnataka State Primary School Teachers’ Association (KSPSTA) in Shikshakara Sadan.
KSPSTA president Basavaraj Gurikar listed out some demands concerning primary school teachers, including appointment of headmasters, voting rights, protecting interest of the teachers in implementation of R Govinda report and so on.
In reply, Kageri asked teachers to focus on improving the quality of education while the state government did its job.
“We have tried to address all of your demands in our capacity. In response to your demands, I can raise the question of why children in the state are not meeting the required academic standards. For now, I have spoken to Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on equalising pay scales of headmasters with that of principals,” he said.