Government committed to offer quality education, says CM

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said the state government is committed to provide quality education and aims to achieve 40% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the newly constructed Maharani's Commerce and Management College for Women, and hostel at Paduvarahalli here, Siddaramaiah said, Karnataka is witnessing an increase in GER in higher education. While state's GER is at 26%, the nation's average is 24%. "We (state government) have set a target of increasing GER to 40% in future," the CM said.

The state government is committed to offer quality education in government-run institutions. In order to ensure quality education, the government will provide free laptops for the students who have completed Pre-University courses, he said. Around 1.80 lakh students received laptops this year, the CM said.

Siddaramaiah said, majority of the students who enroll at government institutions are economically poor and from the rural areas. The institutions offer quality as well as moral education. The state has many engineering and medical colleges for them, he said.

Highlighting the Right to Education (RTE) Act, the CM said, the then UPA government implemented RTE Act to ensure free and compulsory education for all the children. "Our aim is to provide education for the people of all classes," Siddaramaiah said.

Emphasising on women's education, the CM said, 49% students studying between first and 10th standard are girls. As many as 48.79 lakh girls and 52.88 lakh boys are pursuing education in schools in the state. More number of women getting education is a healthy trend, he said.

Siddaramaiah, who lauded the contributions of Mysuru Maharajas in the field of education, said, the erstwhile Maharajas made Mysuru proud by establishing Maharani's College for women's education.

Siddaramaiah also appreciated Chamaraja MLA Vasu for taking initiative to develop new Maharani's College and said, the new college was much-needed as the century-old Maharani's College was over crowded.

The CM called upon the students to make use of the available opportunities.

Siddaramaiah laid foundation stone for the second phase of construction works of the college and the hostel, PWD office, new Guest House on the Jaladarshini Guest House premises.