On the occasion of Teacher’s Day, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath spoke out about the dearth of qualified educators in Uttar Pradesh. He added that it was a failure of the education system to produce educators instead of any shortcoming in his governance. He also said that a large number of educated people are still unemployed.
At a programme to mark the occasion in Lucknow, he said that “we have a large number of educated unemployed persons. The UP government started the recruitment procedure for 68,500 primary school teachers. For this, 1.05 lakh applications were received, but 41,556 candidates could clear the examination.”
While there is a steep shortage of primary school teachers in the state, the CM said that they are planning to recruit on the basis of merit. “If we are not able to provide qualified teachers, then I feel that the shortcoming is not on the part of the government, but on the part of the education system, as it has failed……in providing excellent teachers.”
He cited a protest on Wednesday that had taken place with around a 100 teachers of unaided secondary schools. The group had demanded that their honorarium is restored: “I see some people are getting their heads shaved to convey that they should be posted without any competition and then the state government should honor them as teachers.”
He added that “What type of example are we trying to set for the future generation. They (the protesting teachers) want their work done by violating norms, but when they themselves come under scanner, they try to look for an escape route. An undisciplined society cannot build a bright future for itself.”
On a positive note, the CM honored the teachers for their contributions to the education system and said that the efforts made by his government over the last 15 months have begun to improve the quality of education.
“If UP has to become the leading state in the country, then it could be only on the basis of education… Keeping this in mind, all of us have to make an effort. Why cannot our primary, secondary and higher education system be better? If the teachers take a pledge, then this will improve.”