While there is much debate over shutting down of schools, former education minister and Rajajinagar MLA S Suresh Kumar shares his views on what needs to be done to improve the public education infrastructure in the state. In an interaction with TNIE, he also spoke about Bengaluru’s infrastructure and how the fight for the CM’s post had led to the collapse of administration in the state. Excerpts:

What is the condition of schools in Karnataka?

Unfortunately, the credibility that government schools are supposed to have is missing. If government schools cease to exist, each family will have to spend a minimum of 20 per cent of their income for their children’s education. While we give them free uniforms, textbooks, food, we fail to give them quality education and infrastructure.

Our education is not child-centric. There are seven representatives from the teaching community and seven from graduate constituencies in the legislative council. Unfortunately, in the councils also, we talk more about teachers’ interests than children. The state of government schools in Karnataka is bad. In fact, if the government provides good and free facilities in health and education, people will automatically refuse the five other guarantee schemes.

Do you think the government is focusing more on government schools?

There are about 15,000 government schools where the strength of children is less than 20. I visited a school in Obenahalli in Srinivaspura which had only one student and one teacher. I believe we are stealing the childhood of a student where there is a single child in the school. Therefore, I had proposed the idea of having a full-fledged model school in each gram panchayat. Recently, Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa announced starting model schools which have full-fledged facilities.

Unfortunately, many people in the political class itself own or have an interest in private schools.

Therefore, the focus on government schools has decreased. On many occasions, I have realised that teachers are also not motivated because they are asked to do census, election work, and purchasing groceries for midday meals.

What changes did you make when you were the education minister?

When I was education minister, I was a wartime general as well. I was given the portfolio in August 2019 and by March 2020, Covid-19 started. It continued till the end of my tenure. In 2020-21, Karnataka was the only state to conduct SSLC exams and it was a great feat.

Do you think the present budget for the education sector needs to be improved?

It’s not a question of improvement. Ultimately, around 85 per cent of any education budget goes towards paying salaries. The remaining 15 per cent goes towards structural improvements like building repairs. The present budget should be increased by at least three times. Only good education can produce good citizens. We should not sacrifice long-term effect for short-term gain.

Is reducing the pass cutoff percentage to increase the number of passed students a good move?

Even private institutions have welcomed the move to lower the cutoff percentage from 35% to 33%. But it’s not a healthy way to see the overall development of a child. I know that marks are not the be-all and end-all; the need of the hour is to assure quality education, to make children enjoy learning. Nobody thinks about that, unfortunately. I think the government should revisit this issue.

How are portfolios allocated for the education department?

There are no criteria or benchmarks to allocate portfolios. Unfortunately, many other criteria come into play. Education is treated like any other department, like fisheries or animal husbandry. But education needs more attention and care. We hear about Finnish education; supposed to be the best in the world. But we have not implemented any learning from it here.

The prescribed syllabus keeps changing, depending on the ruling party at any given time. How does this affect the development of a child?

The syllabus is decided on ideological grounds. The child’s interest is the last priority. Children should not become footballs (at the behest of ideological shifts). The National Education Policy (NEP) has come into being; it was not prepared like instant coffee, but was formulated after a lot of considerations and deliberations. Now, our state government in 2021 accepted NEP; but after the present government came to power, they rejected the NEP in favour of a State Education Policy (SEP). I’m at a loss as to which of the two is being followed in the state. There are many CBSE schools in Karnataka, all of which follow the NEP. So by rejecting NEP without any reason except that it belongs to the Union government, we are denying our children quality education.

Why do you prefer the NEP?

Amongst many positives, the NEP includes skill-based training from Grade 9.

What do you think about schools in the state being merged?

Instead of having a school with just one or two students, or having a school where one teacher has to simultaneously teach more than one class – which is a reality in many cases – it is better to merge. There is also a lack of teachers. When you have disparate resources, it is better to mobilise and create quality schools. All that’s left is to provide transport, which assures that students continue to receive education. Students should study together and grow as part of collectives, not individually.

Why are over 60,000 teacher posts vacant, and how do the Finance department and guest teacher system affect this?

Vacancies persist as teacher recruitment files often get stuck in the Finance department, causing delays and refusals. Court cases further stall the process, and some of the 15,000 teachers recruited three years ago still haven’t received appointment orders. Reliance on underpaid guest teachers has become a chronic issue, turning a temporary fix into an annual cycle.

How would you respond to Madhu Bangarappa and the Finance department saying there’s no money, but they’re stretching limits for quality education?

Claiming ‘no money’ is easy, but funds could be redirected from other departments if education were truly a priority. The issue isn’t resources, it’s the mindset to prioritize this vital sector for society’s future.

How can Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) help government schools?

CSR funds can support school infrastructure, teaching materials, gadgets and activities. During the 2019 floods, private institutions helped schools significantly. For CSR to be effective, companies must trust their contributions are used well, making it a reliable way to improve education quality.

Why are parents shifting to private schools even if they can’t afford them?

Parents believe private schools offer better English skills and learning outcomes. This perception persists even among low-income families, leading them to prefer private schools over government schools. However, during Covid-19, admissions to government schools rose by 4.5-5 lakh students because parents couldn’t afford private school fees. After schools reopened, many students returned to private schools due to problems like lack of toilets, shortage of teachers, and poor infrastructure in government schools.

What is your stance on English-medium education?

English should be taught as a spoken language from Class 1 to build communication skills. While learning in the mother tongue aids understanding, early English education is essential. English-medium schools are not wrong, and parents should have the choice, but the gradual decline of Kannada, even at home, must be addressed carefully.

Could one of the government’s guarantees focus on education?

The next budget should guarantee two things: free quality education up to Class 10/ Plus Two and reliable free medical care. While Ayushman cards exist, real treatment must be ensured — benefiting families and showing the state’s commitment.

How serious is bullying and violence in schools, and should there be an anti-bullying mechanism?

Student safety and bullying are growing concerns. During Covid-19, increased online teaching exposed children to excessive screen time and inappropriate content. The average screen time of children in our country is 4 to 5 hours. Premature information about nonsensical things is affecting children’s minds. Though Nimhans experts suggested screen-time guidelines, they are largely ignored. Ensuring safe learning environments and proper guidance must remain a priority.

Often we are seeing issues such as hijab and janivara (sacred thread) in educational institutions. How does it affect the education system?

Non-issues are becoming major debates, while real issues are not being addressed. Instead of fostering natural, organic growth, we impose ideology on students. Such inorganic interference harms society and deeply affects young minds.

What are your thoughts on splitting BBMP and creating Greater Bengaluru Authority?

I was born and brought up in Bengaluru. I heard about the municipality in 1966 when my party contested. In 1983, I became a corporator of Bangalore City Corporation. I had been advocating decentralisation of power in corporations. During my tenure as corporator, only three IAS officers were there. A Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner For Development and Deputy Commissioner For Administration. They were managing the city really well then.

Today, the government has come up with GBA. The basis of dividing the city corporation is not scientific. Equal development cannot be possible. Five commissioners are yet to understand their boundaries and total revenue generation, salaries for staff. The division is politically motivated and is not a citizen-centric devolution of power. There is no answer for potholes, garbage and pollution. Citizens will have to pay for these vital mistakes by the government.

What is your take on tunnel road?

Bengaluru’s traffic is a major issue. Earlier, the government came up with a steel bridge costing Rs 1,800 crore, but after protests, the project was dropped. Now they are coming up with a fantastic idea of a tunnel road. We are not against the tunnel project per se, but some fundamental questions were raised by our MPs.

The government has not done any study. Doubts were raised over the DPR prepared by a blacklisted firm. Who will benefit from the tunnel road as autos, two-wheelers are banned. Only around 4,000 cars can travel on the stretch. If we invest in Metro and other mass transport, the passenger carrying capacity will be doubled. Except Singapore, no other city in the world has a toll in its limits. Besides, Rs 600 per vehicle to and fro is expensive. The need of the hour is mass transport.

Why is the government pushing hard for such a project?

It appears that DK Shivakumar wants to leave his footprint in Bengaluru city. Kengal Hanumantaiah came out with Vidhana Soudha, Gundu Rao with Majestic Bus Stand, and SM Krishna with Vikasa Soudha. I think someone must have advised Shivakumar about the tunnel road. Instead of pushing hard, he should have shown the courtesy to say that before going ahead, all aspects will be taken into consideration.

They say the tunnel will go below Sankey Tank, will the tank exist? The project will go below Lal Bagh, can we afford to lose 3000 million year old rock? Instead of taking everyone into confidence, he is making rude comments, which is not expected from a person in power. In 2001, when BWSSB privatisation was proposed, the then CM SM Krishna listened to the concerns I raised, recognised public interest and dropped the plan, which is a true act of statesmanship. Shivakumar, who cites Krishna as his role model, should follow that example. The tunnel road project must be revisited, reinvestigated, and alternative solutions explored.

With traffic worsening and Metro progress slow, what do you believe is the real solution to manage Bengaluru’s congestion?

The suburban railway project is not getting the attention it deserves. If completed, it can ease traffic, especially on the city’s outskirts. Within the city, BMTC and Metro must work together to improve last-mile connectivity and offer smoother public transport options.

The city has not seen local body election for five years. How is it affecting administration?

Grassroots leadership is impossible without civic elections, yet they’ve been delayed for five years. Without corporators, citizens are forced to approach MLAs and MPs for basic issues, from garbage to potholes, because departments fail to do their job. This vacuum has worsened services and weakened accountability.

How do you look at the present political situation in Karnataka, is it impacting the administration or is it just an internal Congress issue?

Administration in Karnataka has come to a standstill. Bureaucrats are hesitant to take decisions, and ministers themselves are unsure, wondering what will happen to them. This is dangerous. If there is a two-and-a-half-year power-sharing agreement, the leadership must state it openly. Decisions made by a handful in closed rooms cannot guide a whole state. The Congress high command, weakened after the Bihar elections, must end this uncertainty. Without clarity, governance suffers while the public watches the political drama that benefits no one.

What is your response to the claim that BJP is currently not a strong or effective opposition in Karnataka?

Many say the BJP is not a strong opposition or that there is “adjustment politics”, but I disagree. A strong opposition is one that raises issues firmly, and we have done that. We protested against the MUDA scam, farmers’ issues, highlighted potholes in Bengaluru and others. Instead of having the basic courtesy to listen to the opposition, if the ruling government is thick-skinned and shows arrogance in its administration, no matter how strong the opposition, it can’t do much.

Can you share your passion for cycling?

Cycle has been my companion for a long time. From riding bicycles on rent to getting a bicycle gifted by my mother for securing first class in SSLC, the cycle remained my companion. Even after I became an advocate, I used to go around on my cycle. In 1974, I went to Kanyakumari on a bicycle for four days with my friends. I also became an avid walker. Both are a form of meditation. I was affected by the rarest of rare form of chikungunya, where my brain was affected and I was bedridden for five months. My doctors say cycling helped me to recover.