States » SouthPosted at: Nov 7 2026 8:53PM


Remarks by CM's daughter trigger debate over govt school conditions

Bengaluru, Nov 7 (UNI) The controversy over remarks by Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and his daughter Aishwarya DKS Hegde on the performance of government school teachers has widened into a larger debate over accountability for the condition of public education, with teachers' organisations and educationists questioning whether the government can hold teachers solely responsible for systemic shortcomings.
At the heart of the debate is a fundamental question: Should the responsibility for the performance of government schools rest only with teachers, or should the government and education administration also be answerable for vacancies, inadequate infrastructure, non-academic duties and the lack of institutional support?
The controversy began after Aishwarya Hegde, an educationist and trustee-secretary of the National Education Foundation, questioned the efficiency and accountability of government school teachers while speaking at a government-organised corporate social responsibility (CSR) event.
Referring to a government school in Doddalahalli supported by her foundation, she argued that teacher shortages were not the only problem and pointed to concerns over attendance, commitment and performance.
CM Shivakumar had also expressed disappointment over the commitment of government school teachers drawing substantial salaries, while clarifying that his criticism was not directed at the entire teaching community.
However, the remarks triggered objections from teachers' representatives, who argued that evaluating school performance without examining the administrative and policy environment would present an incomplete picture.
Bengaluru Teachers' Constituency MLC AP Ranganath said government teachers were recruited through prescribed eligibility tests and competitive examinations and had contributed significantly to society by producing administrators, scientists, writers, judges and professionals.
He pointed out that teachers were increasingly assigned responsibilities beyond classroom teaching, including supervision of midday meals, distribution of eggs, census operations, livestock surveys, caste surveys, electoral roll revision and election-related duties.
According to him, such additional responsibilities, coupled with vacancies and infrastructure deficiencies, affected the functioning of government schools and needed to be addressed before questioning teachers' commitment.
The controversy has also brought the Karnataka government's proposal to encourage private educational institutions to adopt government schools under scrutiny.
While the government has presented the initiative as a means of improving infrastructure and educational standards through corporate social responsibility and private-sector participation, critics have questioned whether such arrangements could gradually shift the state's responsibility towards private institutions.
The Save Public Education Committee and the All-India Democratic Students' Organisation have opposed the proposed adoption initiative, arguing that strengthening government schools must remain a public responsibility.
Educationists have also raised concerns over the direction of the policy, stressing the need to strengthen the public education system rather than rely on private institutions to address its deficiencies.
The debate has consequently expanded beyond the remarks that triggered it, raising questions about the respective responsibilities of teachers, school administrators and the government.
While teachers must remain accountable for classroom performance, attendance and learning outcomes, the administration must ensure adequate staffing, infrastructure, monitoring and a supportive working environment.
Ultimately, the state government remains responsible for ensuring that every government school has qualified teachers, functional facilities and the resources necessary to provide quality education.
The emerging debate has placed the spotlight on whether Karnataka's proposed reforms will address these structural concerns or primarily seek to bring private institutions into a system whose fundamental challenges remain unresolved.
UNI BDN
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