BENGALURU: MLC from Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency AP Ranganath has condemned remarks by Aishwarya Shivakumar, daughter of Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and head of a private educational institution, questioning the quality of teaching and dedication of government school teachers.
Terming the statement objectionable, Ranganath said it was made without understanding the realities of public education. Government teachers are selected through qualifying examinations and competitive recruitment, and a number of administrators, scientists, writers, judges and lawyers were educated in government schools.
While acknowledging that running private institutions is a lawful personal choice, he said private facilities cannot be compared with government schools to question teachers’ commitment. “Private education may be a choice, but public education is a constitutional and social responsibility,” he said.
He pointed out that teachers are burdened with non-teaching duties, including midday meal supervision, egg distribution, census and livestock surveys, caste-related surveys, electoral roll revision and election work, besides facing staff shortages and poor infrastructure. Asking teachers to do such work and then questioning their teaching quality, shifts administrative failure on to them, he said.
Ranganath also raised concern that the government may be withdrawing from public education in favour of private capital, and urged the Congress leadership not to surrender education to market interests. He cited Article 21A, which guarantees the Right to Education, and Article 14.
Pledging to raise the issue inside and outside the Council, he urged Aishwarya Shivakumar to study teachers’ service conditions, and express regret to all government school teachers. “Government teachers are not mere salaried employees; they are nation-builders,” he said.