Govt plans 'education complexes' on pilot basis

To consolidate lower, higher primary, high school and higher secondary divisions

The state government will attempt to create education complexes on a pilot basis in the coming academic year, said primary and secondary education minister Tanveer Sait. “We will start one Urdu school in each taluk, with support from the minorities department, and one Kannada medium school. The schools will be in two stages of Class 1 to 8 and 9 to 12,” Sait said, speaking to DH. Cluster-level surveys for the implementation of the pilot have been undertaken and training of teachers has begun, he said. Existing infrastructure will be used for the purpose. He was participating in a workshop and convention on education organised by Karnataka State High School Assistant Masters’ Association on Monday.

The government had received a report which suggests the present divisions such as lower primary school, higher primary school, high school and higher secondary, be consolidated. “An education complex which houses classes 1 to 12 is the need of the hour and this practice exists elsewhere in the education sector. It may help to ensure retention of students and minimise dropouts. To test it out, we are undertaking this pilot project,” he said.

The government wants to run the schools on the model of Adarsha Vidyalaya - schools set up under the centrally sponsored scheme Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). “Several primary school teachers were concerned about their seniority being affected by such a move but I have promised them that this will not be affected,” he said. Further, he added that the No Detention Policy will be rolled back to Class 5 starting from the next academic year.

Sait said that in urban areas, as far as possible, it will be ensured that students do not write the exams in their own school. “Students will be allotted exam centres different from their schools to ensure that the exams are conducted fairly.” In rural areas, it has been planned to consolidate two to three villages or one hobli and have one exam centre. “Since rural students may find it difficult to travel, we will make some changes to the plan,” he said.