Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar has said that he has convened a meeting on January 16 to discuss issues related to the medium of instruction.
The Supreme Court, on January 21, is expected to pronounce its verdict on a case related to the State government’s decision to make mother tongue as the medium of instruction at primary school level.
Prominent Kannada writers, including Jnanpith award winner U.R. Ananthamurthy, and academics had been invited for the meeting, Mr. Ratnakar told presspersons here on Sunday. He said the school education system in Karnataka would be restructured according to the guidelines of the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). According to the guidelines, classes 1 to 5 would be classified as primary education, classes 6 to 8 as higher primary education, and classes 9 to 12 would be classified as secondary education.
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Mr. Ratnakar said he had conducted a series of meetings with academics and senior officers of the Department of Primary and Secondary Education to discuss the issue. The government would take a decision on the issue soon, he added. According to an estimate, Rs. 6,000 crore was needed to upgrade basic amenities in all government schools in the State, he said. The possibilities of seeking donations from the public and corporate companies to mobilise funds for the purpose were be explored, he added.