For the speedy implementation of educational programmes and development projects, the Karnataka government has decided to constitute educational committees, headed by MLAs of each Assembly constituency, on the model of bagair hukum committees in the State.
The committees will be chaired by the MLA of the respective constituencies. The tahsildar of the taluks concerned, the Block Education Officers (BEOs), the Executive Officers (EO) of taluk panchayats, headmasters of primary and high schools, principals of pre-university colleges, representatives of District Institute of Educational Training (DIETs), and an officer from Panchayat Raj Department will be the members of the committees.
In addition, the government will also nominate seven members including a member each from the Scheduled Castes (SC), the Scheduled Tribes (ST), the Other Backward Classes (OBC), women and general category, and two members from School Development and Monitoring Committees of primary and high schools.
Why the committees
Speaking at a press conference at the Vidhana Soudha, Madhu Bangarappa, Minister of School Education and Literacy, said that the State government is providing thousands of crores, including corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds, for the development of the education sector.
In addition, it has implemented many programmes for the educational development of students. But the officials are not implementing these programmes properly. “Therefore, we decided to form educational committees headed by MLAs in each Assembly constituency to solve all these problems,” he said.
The committees will be formed as soon as the winter session of the legislature in Belagavi ends. The committees are likely to meet every two or three months, he added.
New initiatives
The Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL), in collaboration with SwaTaleem Foundation and Samagra Shikshana Karnataka, has launched Saheli Ki Udaan (Gelathiyarondige Harona), a flagship programme designed to empower adolescent girls in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) and Karnataka Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KKGBVs).
Mr. Bangarappa launched this programme at the Vidhana Soudha.
The programme will focus on addressing systemic barriers faced by girls from Dalit, adivasi, and other historically underrepresented communities. These girls are at high risk of experiencing adverse outcomes such as high school dropouts and early forced marriages. The programme is presently touching the lives of 10,300 girls in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) across 27 districts in Karnataka.
Under this programme, the SwaTaleem Foundation will provide English bridge course and critical skills for adolescent girls, parent engagement through interactive voice response system (IVRS) calls, among other things.
Published – December 04, 2024 09:14 pm IST