Narayana Murthy says coaching classes are ‘wrong way to help children’

Narayana Murthy, the co-founder tech giant Infosys, has strongly criticised coaching classes saying that they are the wrong way to help a child. Murthy contended that the children to attend coaching classes often pay no attention to their regular classes.

“The goal of education is to learn how to learn,” Murthy said during the book launch of 'Conceptual Physics' by Paul G Hewitt at Infosys Science Foundation in Bengaluru on Monday.

Answering a question on whether coaching institutes are crucial for securing a spot in top educational institutions such as IITs and NITs, Murthy said, “Coaching classes are the wrong way to help children to pass examinations.”

"Most people who go to coaching classes don't listen to their teachers carefully in school. And parents, who are often unable to help their children academically, see coaching centres as the only solution," he added.

Stressing that education should centre on observation, analysis, and hypothesis-testing skills essential for addressing real-world challenges, the Infosys co-founder said the emphasis should be on comprehension and critical thinking, rather than rote memorization.

During the event, Narayana Murthy shared how such an educational approach might foster innovation. He shared an anecdote from a 1993 Infosys workshop, where a peon inquired about the true essence of innovation.

Earlier this month, Murthy shared life lessons with young school children at the Mount Everest School in Byatarayanapura.

Answering a child's question on how to become like him, Murthy said he would like the child to become better. “I do not want you to become like me...I want you to become better than me for the greater good of the nations.”

Murthy spoke for an hour to school children from classes 7 and 8 and shared life lessons with them, including the need for discipline and teamwork, the importance of giving and being a responsible citizen, as per the report.