When minister Adimulapu Suresh rubbed teachers the wrong way

Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development in Andhra Pradesh, Adimulapu Suresh landed himself in a controversy when he said that Google was replacing the Guru in education. What more? He made these comments at a programme organized to felicitate the teachers on the National Teachers’ Day on September 5.

The minister said that with the arrival of new technologies, all kinds of information has become available on the fingertips. As a result, the students are now more dependent on Google than on teachers. He said that as a result of the advent of educational apps like the Byjus, the need for teachers has come down.

These comments naturally incensed the teachers. They felt that the minister had insulted them on the Teachers’ Day. They also said that the government was not providing them with the basic amenities and the infrastructure in many places is below par. These comments have only added to the discontent among the teachers.

Byju's app has an arrangement with the state government in Andhra Pradesh. It provides educational support to the students via online. However, the teachers argue that no amount of technology can replace the teachers and that classroom teaching is the most important element of education. Though the minister has clarified that it was not his intention to belittle the teachers, the latter are fuming.