Education officials taken to task for Mysuru's poor result in SSLC

Zilla Panchayat (ZP) members, during the general body meeting here on Monday, took the Education department officials to task for the dismal performance of the district in the SSLC examinations.

This year, the district had slipped to the lowly 21st place from 8th in the state. Venkataswamy, a member, alleged that the authorities have done gross injustice to HD Kote taluk in appointing teachers. “As many as 94 teachers posts were lying vacant, of which, only seven posts have been filled.

Five teacher’s post each in 25 high schools in the taluk are lying vacant. The authorities appointed 29 teachers in KR taluk to fill all the vacant posts. HD Kote taluk is neglected as a large number of people belong to the backward classes. The poor performance is a shame on people’s representatives, including ZP members, the CM and the Education Minister. Shortage of teachers resulted in poor performance,” he said.

Mangala Somashekar, another member, said, Chamarajanagar district, which is considered as backward in the state has done better in SSLC examination. “It is high time the authorities take urgent measures to strengthen the education sector in the district. Unless there is quality education and health, development is not possible,” she said.

Pushpa Amarnath said, ‘Mysuru Guri Nooru’, an initiative to improve the results, which was introduced in 2015, was not implemented in an effective manner in rural Mysuru. She said, “Even people’s representatives have a role to play in improving the quality of education. Team work can help improve the results in future. Teams comprising the officials and the ZP members should be constituted to monitor the schools,” she said.

ZP CEO P Shivashankar, however, said, shortage of staff is not the reason for the poor performance, but the quality of teaching is a cause for concern. “Though H D Kote taluk is hit by severe shortage of teachers, it has stood in the fifth place in the district. The appointment process of teachers needs certain modifications. I will take steps to appoint 19 teachers to the taluk immediately,” he said.

RWH unit at ZP office

Pushpa Amarnath suggested ZP president Nayeema Sultana and the CEO to take measures to instal rainwater harvesting units, and to increase green cover in the district. She said, the district has many government buildings and rainwater harvesting units can be installed at the ZP office building and in the schools. The units are necessary to harness rainwater. Similarly, as per the norms, there must be 33% green cover, but, at present there is 10% green cover in the district, she said.

Heated exchange

There was a heated argument between ZP vice president G Nataraj and Pushpa Amarnath during a discussion on the rainwater harvesting unit and the green cover. The arguments broke out when Pushpa Amarnath said that the authorities have failed to take measures to improve the green cover and rainwater harvesting units. To which, Nataraj questioned what did she do during her tenure as ZP president.

Pushpa Amarnath said, she was elected to pursue works, and Nataraj replied, “Even we are elected to work and not to play ‘cricket’. Every member works in their respective constituencies.”
Zilla panchayat members and the officials were present.

‘Headmistress breached protocol’

Zilla Panchayat member Beerihundi Basavanna, also chairman of Social Justice standing committee, alleged that Gopalpur High School headmistress Shashikala Devi has breached the protocol during the foundation stone laying ceremony for construction of the school building. “No people’s representative was invited for the function. Even though the violation was brought to the notice of the Education department and the CEO, no action has been initiated against her,” he said.