As government schools across Karnataka reopened today, May 31, after a two-month-long summer vacation, students, parents and teachers have been left confused owing to the row over syllabus revision. They are not sure which part of the syllabus is going to be removed and which would be included.
Earlier, the Congress government had stated that the parts which "poison the minds of students would be dropped". On the other hand, the former BJP government warned that it "won't sit quiet if urban naxals take control of things". These statements have complicated things for the pupils, their parents and teachers, as per a report by IANS.
However, amidst the row, on the first day of the reopening of schools, children were given books and uniforms. Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa visited primary schools in the Bengaluru Rural district and distributed books. He also welcomed the students.
Including the government and private, there are 62,229 schools in the state. Among them, 25,278 are primary, 36,951 are high schools and 15,867 are middle schools. Preparations were also made for mid-day meals at the government and aided schools on the first day.
The Department of State Education Research and Training (DSERT) has given directions to the schools to start the Setu Bandha programme for 10 days for Classes I-III and a 15-day programme for Classes IV-X. Under the Setu Bandha project, the students would be taught lessons from the previous classes as well as the next class to cover the learning loss induced by the pandemic.
After Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hinted that the syllabus would be revised, Bangarappa said the revision exercise would be taken up in a phased manner. The Congress party has assured textbook revision in its manifesto, as per a report by IANS.
