“The Government has made it compulsory to teach yoga at all the Schools, but how is yoga education possible without an instructor?,” questioned MLC Marithibbegowda.

He was speaking after inaugurating the four-day State-level Athletics Meet 2022-23 organised jointly by the Department of Public Instructions, Bengaluru, District Administration, Zilla Panchayat and Office of the Deputy Director of Department of Public Instructions, Mysuru – Physical Education Division at Chamundi Vihar Stadium in Nazarbad on Sunday.

“Government must make sure to recruit enough yoga instructors. We are not giving enough importance to Physical Education. However, it is the sports which instil enthusiasm, self-confidence and self-esteem among students and help to increase the attitude of well-being and secularity. Hence, importance must be given to Physical Education also,” he said.

Stating that it has been 12 years since the Physical Education Teachers are recruited in the State, Marithibbegowda said that Physical Education is not being properly taught to the students equally. “Teachers are not provided enough facilities. Government must provide enough facilities for Physical Education Teachers,” he added and urged not to recruit the Physical Education Teachers based on the number of students, but instead recruit the teachers to every School in the State.

MLA Tanveer Sait, who spoke after hoisting the Athletics Meet Flag, said that the importance of physical health should be conveyed to children from student days itself. “There are huge challenges in the field of Physical Education. Education must be open to all, irrespective of caste and religion. The Right To Education (RTE) Act has been implemented on this basis,” he added.

MLA L. Nagendra wished good luck to all the athletes while Mayor Shivakumar expressed his happiness about the State-level Athletics Meet 2022-23 happening in Mysuru city.

Department of Public Instructions, Bengaluru, Commissioner Dr. R. Vishal; Zilla Panchayat (Mysuru) CEO K.M. Gayathri; Deputy Director of Department of Public Instruction, Mysuru, (DDPI) Ramachandra Raje Urs; Directorate of Linguistic Minorities, Bengaluru, Director Siriyannavar Lalitha Chandrashekar; Physical Education Department, Bengaluru, Assistant Director S.S. Ramesh;  Physical Education Department, Mysuru Division Deputy Director H.T. Venkatesh;  Karnataka State Secondary School Head Masters Association President P. Mahadevaiah; Education Officers Association, Mysuru, President Krishna and State Government Employees Association Mysuru District President J. Govindaraju were present.