BENGALURU: Riding on the back of the recent record-breaking SSLC results, the Karnataka government has announced a comprehensive package of eight guarantees aimed at overhauling the state’s government school system and restoring public faith in public education.
The initiative, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and School Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, focuses on tackling long-standing issues of teacher shortages, infrastructure deficits and outdated teaching methods. Officials describe the measures as a decisive step to make government schools competitive with private institutions.
At the heart of the reforms is a firm commitment to resolve the acute shortage of teachers. The government has asserted that all primary schools will have one dedicated teacher per class up to Class 5. From Class 6 onwards, subject-wise specialist teachers will be recruited and posted. This will address complaints of one teacher handling multiple classrooms.
In a significant move responding to parental demand, the government has promised greater flexibility in the medium of instruction.
English-medium education will be made available across all government schools, with teachers already receiving specialised training to deliver quality lessons in English. Around 900 government schools are being upgraded to the Karnataka Public Schools (KPS), which will offer bilingual instruction in both Kannada and English.
The reform package places strong emphasis on preparing students for the digital future. Computer education will be introduced in a phased manner starting from Class 1, while basic exposure to artificial intelligence will begin from Class 3. Dedicated computer faculty members will be appointed in all Karnataka Public Schools to support this transition.
The guarantees also extend to holistic development. The government has pledged to recruit specialised teachers for physical education, art and music within the year. To allow teachers to focus purely on academics, separate non-teaching staff will be hired to handle administrative responsibilities, thereby reducing the burden on educators.
Another key pillar is continuous student assessment and parental involvement. A lesson-based assessment system will track individual progress, complemented by parent-teacher meetings scheduled once every two months for regular feedback.
From Class 6 onwards, the government plans to introduce skill-based education and coaching for competitive examinations, aiming to better equip students for higher studies and future careers.
Minister Bangarappa said, “We are doing this to strengthen our education system further. Students who are in government schools need to be offered the very best and we are only facilitating that. This is not the end; we will continue to work on making our schools better each day.”
This story has been written by Bansy Kalappa.
