Should the children of Karnataka's government employees be forced to attend only government schools? A suggestion along these lines was mooted in the Upper House of the Karnataka Legislature. Those in favour said similar schemes were in place in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala, and a study has been called for.
Karnataka's government schools urgently require reformation, failing which they just might go extinct. However, is the solution to 'saving' the schools a new rule that makes it mandatory for the children of government employees to study in these schools?
A suggestion to this effect was expressed in the Upper House of the Legislative Council. The debate in this regard was initiated by Basavaraj Horatti of the JD(S), stating that the children's education policy was wrongly interpreted under Section 330 of the Right to Education Act.
KT Shrikante Gowda of JD(S) added that while it was a challenge for the state to save government schools, if such a move was possible in Kerala, then why not in Karnataka? It was Gowda who suggested that it should be made mandatory for children of government employees to study in state schools. He highlighted a similar model already in operation in Uttar Pradesh.
Education Minister Tanveer Sait said such a decision could be approved, provided a private consensus was arrived at. He said a delegation would be sent to Kerala to study the workings of government schools there.
Meanwhile, deputy Speaker Maritibbe Gowda added that the compulsory age limit of 5 years and ten months was causing a large number of children to get delayed admission in schools and hence the mandatory age of admission must be limited to 5 years.
