BENGALURU: At a time when there is a shortage of over 50,000 teachers in government schools and children lacking basic learning in major subjects, the government has decided to implement Artificial Intelligence to teach students Math, English and Kannada.
As per the government order, an MoU was signed between Samagra Shikshana Karnataka and Ek Step Foundation in Bengaluru to help class 4 to 6 students enhance their learning skills in government schools across the state.
Recently, CIVIC, a non-profit organization, presented a Report Card reviewing the government’s contribution in various departments. Their report stated, only 34% students in Class 5 in government-run schools in Karnataka can read a class 2 level text.
Similarly, only 20.9% students in class 5 can solve division problems. Both these figures are significantly lower than the national level which is 48% in reading and 30.7% in solving math problems.
An official from Samagra Shikshana Karnataka said, “Kalika Deepa programme is to increase student engagement in language and mathematics using AI-based technology. We had implemented it in a few schools as a pilot project in Tumakuru and Koppal, which resulted in reducing reading difficulties among students and addressing their learning deficiencies. Therefore, now the government is expanding it to 1,145 schools in the state. The Chief Minister had also announced this programme earlier in the state budget.”
According to the official, learning using an AI tool by Ek Step has helped students learn other subjects as they have overcome hurdles in learning languages.
The total funds invested by the government to expand this programme to over 1,145 schools is Rs 1,38,10,000 which includes internet charges, 10 headphones for each school and training of master resource persons in DIET and DSERT.
After the DSERT trains master resource persons, they train teachers who in turn help students use AI tool to learn Maths, English and Kannada.
A report should be submitted on the progress of learning in children once in three months directly to the government.
This programme will be extended to schools in Bagalkote, Belagavi, Bengaluru rural, Bengaluru urban, north, Bidar, Chikkoddi, Chamarajanagara, Chikkaballapura, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Ranebennur, Hassan, Kodagu, Kolar and other districts.