The Kannada Development Authority (KDA) has urged the State government to act on its recommendations to strengthen public schools before the winter session of State legislature commences in Belagavi.
S.G. Siddaramaiah, chairman of the KDA, on Tuesday said, “The Chief Minister had promised to take up the issue in the Cabinet. But he has not kept his word.” He blamed the bureaucracy for “misleading” the government and slowing down the process of implementation on all Kannada-related issues.
A seven-member committee headed by Mr. Siddaramaiah made 21 recommendations, including making it mandatory for people’s representatives and government employees to admit their children to State-run or aided schools, in September. The KDA has said the Chief Minister should deliberate on these recommendations in the Cabinet and take a final call before the commencement of the winter session.
Arguing that the study and the recommendations made by the KDA are “scientific” and important for improving primary and secondary education in the country, based on the Kothari Education Commission report of 1966, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the complete report had been translated into English and sent to all States and the Union government as reference material and to serve as a model. “Implementation of the recommendations would help in strengthening government schools, besides protecting native language and culture,” he said.
Criticising what he called the “apathy of bureaucracy”, Mr. Siddaramaiah cited the delay in formulating guidelines for the Kannada Language Learning Act, notified in 2015.
Education convention
In a move to bring community pressure on the government to implement its report, the KDA is organising a two-day State-level ‘Community education convention’ from October 30 in Bengaluru with the support of the Centre for Child and the Law, National Law School of India University, and the Karnataka State Primary School Teachers’ Association.
“A memorandum signed by all delegates, educationalists, jurists, and elected representative will be handed over to the Chief Minister who will participate in the valedictory function,” said. Mr. Siddaramaiah.
