The Kannada Development Authority (KDA) recommended to the Karnataka government on Monday that it should make it mandatory for children of politicians and bureaucrats to study in government and government-aided schools.
KDA said this in a report on "strengthening government schools" submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and also suggested that an ordinance be passed regarding this at the earliest.
The authority reportedly claims it is the most effective way to bring government schools on a par with private schools, given the in current education system.
Government schools have remained neglected over time, as it is a low-priority area for the administration, explained KDA. It also asked when government officials send their children to private schools, why would they be interested in improving government-run ones.
Siddaramaiah, too, reportedly expressed concerns. He said state MLAs often have their own take on the condition of government schools, and ask for funds to improve them.
"But the reality is they don't want to send their children to government schools. A majority are of the mindset that government schools are for the poor and private schools are indicators of better social status," Siddaramaiah was quoted as saying in a Times of India report.
Taking note of the chief minister's statement, KDA Chairman SG Siddaramaiah and Kannada writer Chandrashekhar Patil pointed out a direction by Allahabad court, following which the Uttar Pradesh government had passed an ordinance similar to the one the KDA had suggested. They also urged that the same process could be implemented here.
Other suggestions included relieving teachers from census work so they can concentrate just on teaching, adopting e-libraries and e-books for better communication of subjects to the students, and introducing English as a language from Class 1.
The suggestions also included the prohibition of funding private schools under RTE. KDA suggested that such funds should instead be used to upgrade the infrastructure of government schools.
