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

Bengaluru, Nov. 7 -- 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 controver...