Not enough qualified teachers in UP: Adityanath

On Teachers' Day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath lamented the lack of qualified educators in Uttar Pradesh and said it was not a shortcoming of his government but the education system, which has failed to produce excellent teachers.

Adityanath said a large number of educated people are still unemployed.

"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," he said at a programme to mark Teachers' Day in Lucknow.

He said there is a shortage of 97,000 primary teachers in the state but "our priority is 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 said.

Referring to a protest by Sikhsa Mitras teachers, who had tonsured their head, demanding regularisation of services, the chief minister said, "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 honour them as teachers.

"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 indisciplined society cannot build a bright future for itself," he said.

He said the efforts of his government to improve the quality of education over the past 15 months have started to pay off.

"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," he said.

Adityanath honoured teachers for their contribution to the education sector.