From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Nov 1: In a radical initiative, the State Government is seriously considering opening of the LKG and UKG (lower and upper kindergarten) sections in all government-run primary schools in Karnataka as part of the plan to encourage parents to enrol their children in schools from an early age and also to end the menace of donations by private schools.

This proposal is under the serious consideration of Karnataka’s Primary and Secondary Education Minister KimmaneRatnakar.

The minister, whoheld consultations with Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani during her visit to Karnataka two days ago, mooted the proposal on starting LKG and UKG classes in government schools.

The Union minister is reported to have advised the minister to consider openingnursery sections in the government primary schools as not even a single child was admitted to 462 government schools in the State last year.

Irani had consultations with the Minister on drafting the country’s new education policy.

The State government is mulling over a plan on opening of LKG and UKG classes in government run primary schools to ensure enrolment of more children to nursery classes and eliminate donation menace in admissions to these classes in private schools.

Ratnakar said the State would open LKG and UKG classes in government schools if the Centre comes forward grant more funds.

Moreover, services of anganwadi staff could be used to teach LKG and UKG class kids by providing necessary training, he said.

Currently, only private educational institutions make admissions to LKG and UKG classes in the state and later children continue their same studies in same schools.
The private school managements charge exorbitant fees for admission of kids for nursery classes.

The Union minister also suggested to the Minister to introduce amendments to the RTE Act to ensure enrolment of children belonging to socially and educationally backward classes in government schools.

Now, the government has been reimbursing fees of students received admission in private schools under RTE Act.

The minister said instead of reimbursing crores of rupees to private schools, the amount could be used for developing infrastructure in government schools to attract more students.