Class 7 Students Struggle With Alphabets, Arithmetic: 180 Chikkaballapur Teachers Get Notices | Education and Career News
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Local MLA Pradeep Eshwar said he was shocked to find students in the constituency unable to write basic Kannada Varnamale and solve simple mathematical problems
Eshwar defended the action in his X post, acknowledging that issuing notices to such a large number of teachers may not be welcomed by everyone. File pic/ANI
As many as 180 government school teachers in Chikkaballapur, near Bengaluru, have been issued show-cause notices after assessments found that some Class 7 students were struggling with basic Kannada alphabets and elementary addition and subtraction.
The action followed surprise visits to government schools by Chikkaballapur MLA Pradeep Eshwar, who said he was shocked to find students in the constituency unable to write basic Kannada Varnamale and Aksharamale or solve simple mathematical problems.
In a post on X, Eshwar said the students were from government schools in his constituency and that the findings had prompted him to act against the teachers responsible for their academic progress.
“I have taken immediate action and issued notices to 180 teachers of my constituency,” Eshwar said, adding that the decision was “for our next generation and not for the next election.”
Assessments ordered after MLA’s intervention
According to the show-cause notice issued by the Office of the Block Education Officer, Chikkaballapura, dated September 15, the MLA had written to education authorities on September 4, seeking action after reviewing the learning levels of students.
Following this, Education Coordinators, Block Resource Persons (BRPs) and Cluster Resource Persons (CRPs) were deputed to conduct assessments of Class 7 students in government and aided primary schools in Chikkaballapur taluk.
At A Glance
180 government school teachers in Chikkaballapur received show-cause notices.
The notices followed assessments showing Class 7 students struggled with basic Kannada alphabets and maths.
Chikkaballapur MLA Pradeep Eshwar initiated the action after surprise school visits.
The notices were issued by the Office of the Block Education Officer on September 15.
Teachers have three days to submit a written explanation to the Education Department.
The assessment identified students who were significantly behind expected learning levels. The names of such students, along with the teachers who had taught them from earlier classes, were submitted to the Education Department.
The notices were subsequently issued to teachers who had handled teaching responsibilities for these students from Classes 1 to 7.
Teachers asked to explain
The notices ask the teachers to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them for failing to ensure that students acquired the expected level of learning.
The department has given the teachers three days from receipt of the notice to submit a written explanation along with supporting documents. Failure to respond within the stipulated period could lead to further action based on the available records, according to the notice.
The notice also refers to the teachers’ responsibilities under the Karnataka Civil Services Rules and provisions relating to compulsory education.
The Education Department has pointed out that several government programmes are being implemented to improve learning outcomes. It said failure to provide students with the required education within the stipulated period could undermine the objectives of these programmes.
‘A necessary step’, says Eshwar
Eshwar defended the action in his X post, acknowledging that issuing notices to such a large number of teachers may not be welcomed by everyone.
He said the decision was prompted by what he witnessed during his visits to schools and was aimed at addressing gaps in foundational learning.
The MLA also said he did not want the action to be viewed through an electoral lens, stating: “This decision of mine is for our next generation and not for the next election.”
The episode has brought renewed focus on foundational learning in government schools, particularly whether students are acquiring basic reading, writing and numeracy skills by the time they reach the upper-primary level.
The teachers’ explanations will now be examined by education authorities before any further disciplinary action is considered.
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Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India’s space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and R…Read More
September 19, 2026, 19:37 IST
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