Education Minister of Karnataka Fulfills Election Promise
Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa announced that textbook revision is underway, fulfilling an election promise. He also announced that a job fair would be organized in Karnataka, a promise made during the state’s polls.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan slammed the state’s Congress dispensation over its decision to scrap the central government’s National Education Policy (NEP). He warned against “playing with the future of students” by the state’s ruling party.
Education Policy
Education Minister MC Sudhakar said that the state government will formulate its own education policy. He added that the new policy will be different from the National Education Policy (NEP) implemented by the previous BJP government. He has been meeting university vice-chancellors to gather inputs on NEP’s pros and cons. Sudhakar vowed to review provisions that may cause confusion among students and assess whether the NEP was hastily passed by the BJP-led government.
He also announced that minute changes will be made to the syllabus without changing it entirely. This will help in ensuring that the interests of the students are kept in mind. He also promised to tackle fake mark sheet rackets and recruit teachers in adequate numbers.
BC Nagesh has denied that the state government is trying to impose any dress code in the colleges. He said that the Karnataka Education Act which bans clothes that affect equality, integrity and public law and order was brought by the Congress.
Textbook Revision
As the Congress government focuses on fulfilling its poll promises, one such promise is textbook revision. The minister said the changes in books will be made keeping the interest of children in mind. The proposal will be placed before the Cabinet for approval. The previous BJP regime tried to infuse their “corrupt mindset” in the system of education, he added. He further said the revision will not be pro-Congress or anti-BJP, amidst reports that a lesson on RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar will be removed from the book.
Minister Bangarappa also expressed the desire to open more Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) in the state. These schools are popular among parents and students. He added that there is a great demand for them and that they will soon be opened in every district of the state. These schools are free of cost and provide quality education. The minister said that the government is prioritizing education, especially for the poor and underprivileged.
Shortage of Teachers
A video was recently uploaded showing children from a government school in Bhadravati taluk of Shivamogga district cleaning and scrubbing toilets. This prompted parents to protest against the state education department.
A number of schools in the state have a single teacher, as per reports. Moreover, permanent teachers have been recruited at a slower pace than earlier. This is because of the Congress government’s slashing of the education budget, which has hurt recruitment.
BC Nagesh who enforced the hijab ban in Karnataka’s government pre-university colleges has lost the Tiptur constituency polls to Congress candidate Shadakshari. Nagesh had won the seat in 2008 and 2018.
He has not misused taxpayers’ money or committed any scam. Hence, he should not be sacked from his job. However, the minister is preparing for a job fair to help students find jobs in private firms. He also aims to make the polytechnics’ curriculum more relevant to industry requirements. This will be possible with a better relationship between the government and industries.
Meditation in Schools
During a review meeting of officers in the department, Karnataka higher education minister MC Sudhakar warned the officials that the functioning of the department will be hampered if the officers delay clearing important files. He specifically asked them to ensure that they have a clear opinion on files that involve legal issues.
Educators are also using meditation to help students manage stress and improve focus. In one study, researchers found that mindfulness exercises can help children learn to regulate their emotions and adapt to challenges.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan slammed the Congress government in Karnataka for scrapping the National Education Policy (NEP). He said the state should not play with the future of young children. He also questioned why the state opposes early childhood development and child-centered learning, as well as the use of localised Indian toys and games. He added that the state should allow examinations like NEET, CUET, and JEE to be conducted in Bharatiya bhasha languages, including Kannada.