800 Govt shools in state to be upgraded as Karnataka Public Schools: Minister Madhu Bangarappa
Bengaluru: The state government has drawn up a plan to upgrade 800 government schools into Karnataka Public Schools (KPS), each equipped with modern infrastructure at an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore per school, Primary and Secondary Education Minister of Karnataka Madhu Bangarappa announced on Wednesday.
Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru, the minister said the KPS model will provide continuous education from pre-primary to II PUC under one roof. In the first phase, 500 schools will be developed as KPS institutions with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the state government.
Additionally, 200 schools will be upgraded through the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board, while 100 more will be taken up in 10 mining-affected taluks under the Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation (KMERC). A Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared for each set of projects.
“Each Assembly constituency will have two to three KPS schools, while taluks in the Kalyana Karnataka region will get four to five,” the minister said.
To ensure coordination, a Taluk Education Reform Committee will be formed under the chairmanship of the local MLA. “The goal is to enhance the basic infrastructure of government schools and ensure quality education for all,” he added.
The minister also said value education would be introduced for students from Classes 1 to 10, focusing on 10 core moral values. The Department of State Educational Research and Training (DSERT) has prepared activity-based student workbooks for this purpose.
Training for 1,984 resource persons will be conducted at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) level by the end of this month.
On November 1, marking Kannada Rajyotsava, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will release the digital version of the student activity books, while printed copies will be supplied to all schools so that each student receives one activity book, the minister said.
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Attacks on Christians contradict PM's message of harmony, visit to church: Gehlot
Jaipur (PTI): Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday expressed concern over the reported attacks and disruptions in prayer gatherings of the Christian community in different parts of the country, saying such incidents were "worrying and condemnable".
In a post on X, Gehlot said that while the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting a church and giving a message of peace and harmony, news of attacks on members of the Christian community from various regions reflected a serious contradiction.
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"Symbolic gestures would not be enough, and strict legal action was required against those spreading hatred," the senior Congress leader said.
He added that Indian culture has always upheld the spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", where every citizen has full freedom to practise their faith.
Gehlot urged the Centre and state governments to uphold the rule of law and ensure that no citizen is forced to celebrate their festival under fear.
