Teachers shape character and values in ways technology cannot, says Yathindra in Mysuru

Technology cannot mould character or values the way teachers do, Yathindra tells Mysuru educators

While students today enjoy unfettered access to information through technology and Artificial Intelligence, teachers remain irreplaceable in guiding young minds and nurturing personality, ethical values and social consciousness, Minister in-charge of Mysuru district Yathindra Siddaramaiah said.

Speaking at the district-level Teachers' Day-2026 celebrations at Kalamandira in Mysuru, he said education was not merely about imparting information but about developing good character and moral values in students, a task that only teachers could accomplish. The event was organised by the district administration, Zilla Panchayat and the School Education Department to mark the 138th birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

Government addressing teacher shortage

Yathindra, acknowledging Indian tradition's practice of according teachers a status equal to that of revered deities, assured that the State government was committed to providing the necessary school infrastructure. Measures were being taken to improve school buildings, repair classrooms and address the shortage of teachers, he said. The government had already initiated the process of recruiting around 15,000 teachers.

Adapting to changing student needs

Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait pointed out that teachers needed to constantly adapt to changing circumstances to meet the challenges of providing quality education in the 21st century. Although the age group of students entering classrooms remained broadly the same year after year, their mindsets and educational needs changed with time, he said. Teachers could often understand a child's psychological and academic needs even better than parents.

Call for inclusive infrastructure

Retired professor and former Director of the Central Institute of Indian Languages C.G. Venkatesha Murthy described teaching as a sacred responsibility involving the shaping of future generations. Teachers should understand the strengths, weaknesses, health conditions and family circumstances of every student, he said.

He emphasised that even seemingly minor issues needed attention, for instance, a child who could not see the blackboard clearly should not simply be made to sit at the back of the classroom because of their height. He called for ramps and railings to be made mandatory in schools for children with disabilities, and stressed that infrastructure should be put in place before children arrive at school, rather than being provided only after a child with special needs joins. He also underlined the need to strengthen schemes such as the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya to promote girls' education.

Krishnaraja MLA T.S. Srivatsa, Chamaraja MLA K. Harish Gowda, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Yukesh Kumar, Additional Deputy Commissioner R. Aishwarya and School Education Department Deputy Director Uday Kumar were present.

Source: The Hindu