The Karnataka government has announced a new initiative to include ragi malt once in 10 days for schoolchildren under the midday meal programme, reports The New Indian Express. This will be in addition to the provision of two eggs per week and milk.
According to the report, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa said this will benefit more than one crore children studying in government and government aided schools. The ragi malt packets have been tested and certified by the Central Food Technological Research Institute.
"The government is spending Rs 160 crore to provide extra eggs to schoolchildren. The education department has decided to seek assistance from corporates under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm to improve facilities and meet additional expenditure in government schools," Bangarappa added.
Furthermore, the government intends to establish 500 Karnataka public schools within a year and an additional 3,000 schools over the next five years, responding to the demand for such institutions at the panchayat level. To bolster educational infrastructure, all schools will receive free power and drinking water, enabling the integration of computer labs, science laboratories, and National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) coaching centres, Bangarappa added.
He said the state has suffered due to disparity in the release of funds under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. "Though each student will be given Rs 5,400 under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, students from Karnataka are paid a meagre Rs 2,400. The state is yet to receive Rs 1,700 crore in arrears. The Centre has not responded even after writing several letters. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is not giving us time to discuss the issue," he said, reports TNIE.
Addressing staffing shortages in government schools, Bangarappa said that the Education Department has appealed to CM Siddaramaiah for an increase in allocation of funds and to recruit 20,000 teachers. He criticised the Centre for reducing the child labour age from 18 to 13 years, saying it is not in the interest of children.
''BJP govt had fixed exam fee''
Criticising former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy for blaming the government for collecting Rs 50 as examination fee from students, Bangarappa said the previous government had fixed a fee of Rs 60, which was reduced to Rs 50.
Additionally, he lashed out at writer Chakravarthy Sulibele for spreading hatred by alleging that the timetable has been adjusted to accommodate Friday prayers for Muslim students. He attributed the changes to the scheduling of PU exams.
