In 2018, amidst much fanfare, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) unveiled ‘Project Roshini’, an ambitious initiative to upgrade its 156 schools and colleges in the city into ‘world-class education centres’. The BBMP entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bengaluru-based firm, Tech Avant-Garde to set the ball rolling.
However, a little over a year later, ‘Project Roshini’ appears to have come to a standstill. None of the planned initiatives have been taken up this academic year.
BBMP officials said there were 36 parameters that were identified for development under the project, which included drawing up an activity plan and an academic calendar, developing a film-based curriculum, the initiation of a BBMP health programme, and training teachers on 21st century skills. These were to be implemented over a two-year period with the aim of bringing civic-run schools and colleges on par with their private counterparts.
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Officials admitted that Tech Avant-Garde conducted training sessions for 850-odd teachers.
It also conducted preparatory examination for students of Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) and II PU. It was the BBMP teachers who set the question paper, and now the civic body has been presented with a bill of ₹7 lakh by the company.
“The BBMP teachers set the question paper, which was overseen by the company. The bill is for this and printing charges. This October, the Commissioner directed the Education Department to call the company for a discussion and sort out the issue,” said senior civic officials.
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The discussion, however, is yet to happen, admitted G.C. Vrushabendra Murthy, BBMP’s Special Commissioner (Education).
He said he would meet with the representatives from Tech Avant-Garde to figure out why the project has gone into a snooze mode.
Ali Sait from Tech Avant-Garde maintained that the company has kept its side of the bargain.
He admitted that since the beginning of the current academic year, there have been “disturbances” that hindered the project from being taken up further.
“First, the Lok Sabha polls and later the Assembly byelections were held. The model code of conduct during that period has set us back,” he said, and added that the company was to take up painting of the schools and the colleges, but the poll code prevented it.
“These were genuine problems that prevented us from taking up any activity under the project. We are committed to ensuring that all parameters are met,” he added.