BBMP Schools to be handed over to Education Department: Karnataka Deputy CM

Addressing the press after a meeting at the office of the Samagra Shikshana Karnataka, he said, "The performance of BBMP schools has seen a decline over the years. In order to bring these schools on par with private schools, it has been decided to hand over the academic part of the schools to the Education department."

The Education department will be responsible for all the academic activities while BBMP will continue to be responsible for the school buildings, their upgradation, maintenance and management, he noted, adding that the Education department will be fully responsible for all academic activities.

Shivakumar said that the government has a target of building 2000 Karnataka Public Schools at the hobli and panchayat level through CSR funds and the land for the first 500 schools has been identified.

"We are calling all the CSR donor companies in the first or second week of January and assign responsibilities for the first 500 schools. They will be building top quality schools for the government with CSR funds. Each school is expected to cost anywhere between Rs 4 to 7 crores. We have already had discussions with the companies for CSR funds and we will be holding one more round shortly," he said.

The government will provide land to the extent of 2-4 acres for each school and the corporate companies will build the schools on the assigned land with their CSR funds, he added. Each school will be equipped with class rooms, library, laboratory, toilets, staff rooms, etc. A pilot project has already started in Ramanagara district.

The government will be asking private educational institutions to manage a few Karnataka Public Schools each depending on their bandwidth. These educational institutions will be given responsibility to hire additional teachers wherever needed and provide quality education.

"All the Karnataka Public Schools will function as government schools but the responsibility for education would be given to private educational institutions. We have already have had a round of discussion with educational institutions. This will avoid rural students from migrating to cities for better education. I have already submitted a proposal to the Chief Minister to form a committee regarding this," he said.

Currently, corporates have come forward to provide CSR funds worth Rs 1,900 crores for this initiative. "Our government has embarked on a major adventure. A blue print is ready for this. We will call for a meeting of companies and educational institutions to discuss it," he added. The Karnataka Public Schools will be located at Hobli level or Panchayat level and not at taluk or district level. (ANI)