Bangalore: Squads Formed to Check Donations in Schools
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, May 24: With academic year 2011-12 set to commence shortly, Karnataka is getting ready to check the donation menace in all aided and unaided schools in the State.
The State Government has constituted squads headed by a Joint Director of the Primary and Secondary Education Department in each division, which have been armed with suo motu powers to conduct inspections.
Karnataka’s Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri said parents or the public can file complaints against school managements seeking donations either with the Deputy Commissioner or Department officials in all taluk or district headquarters. The department would take action against school management based on the nature of complaint, he said.
Private school managements have been told to charge the fees fixed for government schools. Stern action would be taken if parents file complaint against any schools, he said.
All students studying in VIII and IX standards in Government and aided high schools in the State will get bicycles next month.
Four bicycle manufacturing companies have agreed to supply about 11 lakh bicyles in June and July and they would be distributed to girls and boys studying in VIII and IX standards in Government and aided high schools in the State.
A 90-day deadline has been given to companies to supply bicycles, he said pointing out that the Government decided to distribute bicycles for IX standard students this year as bicycles for VIII standard students were not distributed last year. Bicycles would be distributed to only to VIII standards students from next year, he said.
The price of bicycles for boys and girls has been fixed at Rs 2768 and Rs 2858, respectively. A panel head by Chief Secretary S V Ranganath has fixed the price after holding talks with manufacturing companies, he said.
The reopening of schools would be on May 27 and already textbooks have already been supplied to Block Education Officers’ offices across the State.
Books would be distributed free of cost to students from first to tenth standards in government and aided schools. About 5.68 crore books of 347 titles were published and the quality of textbooks was good this year, the minister said.
One set of uniform would be given to students. Except students of Belgaum division, students of Mysore, Bangalore and Gulbarga divisions would get uniforms this month. Students of Belgaum division would get uniforms by June end, he added.