BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who addressed a state-level convention of government school teachers organised by the Karnataka State Primary School Teachers Association (KPSTA) in Bengaluru on Saturday, promised to fulfill most of their demands.
Siddaramaiah said, “Sincere efforts will be made to fulfill the demands after the implementation of the recommendations of the sixth and seventh pay commissions. A decision will be taken after discussion on the old pension scheme in the Cabinet meeting. I will make an attempt to provide a hike in the salaries of the teachers.”
The CM also recalled how the government was able to hire more than one lakh teachers in government schools during his tenure as the finance minister in the state.
Acknowledging the teachers’ role in increasing the literacy rate in India, the CM said, “The education rate, which was 12% to 15% when the country gained independence, is currently at 74%. When we look at the education sector, we should think about whether we are getting quality education that addresses the problems faced by the society. Tt has not been possible to bring about the expected changes in education. This is not the fault of the teachers, as the caste system is deep-rooted in the society.”
Further, he urged teachers to promote rational and scientific thinking among students. “The Constitution clearly states that a person should receive scientific and rational education for responsible development. Our country and society is mired in casteism, social prejudices and superstitious beliefs. Even the highly qualified people, including many teachers practice, these beliefs. This should change through education because only then, can society progress and move towards development. Inequality should be eliminated for everyone to come into the mainstream. Children must be taught everything with reasoning and logical discussions in schools,” Siddaramaiah said.