Karnataka: Kumaraswamy softens stand

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Kumaraswamy softens stand

Saturday, September 23, 2006 06:49:51 pm


 Thousands of students in Karnataka may be able to breathe a sigh of
relief as the Karnataka government is under intense pressure and is
considering to extend the deadline for closure of schools teaching in
English till the end of this academic year At least 1500 schools have been
ordered to be shut down because the medium of instruction in these schools
was English. This was despite the rule that all subjects in primary
schools, that got state recognition after 1994, were required to teach in
Kannada. So far, nearly 600 schools in Bangalore alone have been
de-recognised for violating the language policy.  However, this time the
pressure is squarely on the state Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who had a
meeting on the issue. The CM is meeting the State education minister
Basavaraj Horatti to discuss the future course of action on the debate as
fate of thousands of children lie in balance.

The options that lie ahead for CM Kumaraswamy are

-- The government goes ahead with the order to shut down the 1500 schools
in the state or

-- The order to shut down schools could be revoked completely, thereby
permitting them continue with English as the medium of instruction or

-- The government decides to give adequate time for the schools to enforce
the order.

Out of the total 6769 private schools in Karnataka, 4431 schools followed
language policy while 2062 schools voilated it. Reportedly, there are
around 2.7 lakh students in the entire state of which 1.2 lakh are in
Bangalore.

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http://www.timesnow.tv/articleshow/2021342.cms