<p>Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has decided to bring down the curtains on the ‘Nali Kali’ initiative, once touted as a transformative programme aimed at engaging children in classes one to three through activity-based learning. The decision was taken after it was learnt that Nali Kali was having a detrimental impact on students’ learning.</p>.<p>Rolled out in all government schools in 2009, Nali Kali entailed assembling students from classes one to three in a single room and engaging them in various activities.</p>.<p>Pioneered at Rishi Valley, it was carried out as a pilot project with Unicef’s support in H D Kote taluk in Mysuru in 1995. Nali Kali was focussed on transforming learning into a fun-filled activity involving play and group work. Materials for the programme were generally provided by not-for-profit organisations associated with the Department of School Education and Literacy.</p>.<p>“Classrooms used for the Nali Kali programme will be converted into single classrooms in a phased manner. In the first phase, the programme will be halted at 29,000 schools, including those where education is offered in a bilingual medium,” said an official from the School Education Department. </p>.<p>The Nali Kali mode of learning has left the children struggling to string a complete sentence together. “Consequently, this is impacting their learning as they advance to higher grades,” the official added. An official order confirming the suspension of the programme from the 2026-27 academic year will be issued soon, official sources told <span class="italic">DH</span>.</p>.Man flashes woman in Bengaluru's Indiranagar; cops say no CCTV coverage at site .<p>Citing findings from the report on Performing Grading Index published by the Centre, another official said, “Learning outcomes have not improved among our students. How can we expect to see any improvement when we do not have a proper teaching method?”</p>.<p>Then Additional Chief Secretary of the School Education Department Ajay Seth had tried to revamp Nali Kali in 2017, and had conferred with NGOs associated with the initiative. He had opined that scribbling on walls was not the same as writing on books.</p>.<p>A task force constituted for implementing the National Education Policy-2020 too recommended reviewing the Nali Kali programme.</p>.<p>Furthermore, the Karnataka State Primary School Teachers’ Association had also petitioned the Chief Secretary to discontinue Nali Kali. Association president Chandrashekhar Nugli said that, besides impacting learning, Nali Kali was responsible for the dip in enrolment at government schools since parents were not in favour of students from classes one to three being taught together.</p>.<p>Calling Nali Kali an unscientific teaching method, he said that one was unlikely to see such methods being adopted at private schools.</p>.<p>“Students of classes one to three at government schools are lagging their private school counterparts in learning. We welcome the government’s decision to discontinue Nali Kali,” Nugli added.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has decided to bring down the curtains on the ‘Nali Kali’ initiative, once touted as a transformative programme aimed at engaging children in classes one to three through activity-based learning. The decision was taken after it was learnt that Nali Kali was having a detrimental impact on students’ learning.</p>.<p>Rolled out in all government schools in 2009, Nali Kali entailed assembling students from classes one to three in a single room and engaging them in various activities.</p>.<p>Pioneered at Rishi Valley, it was carried out as a pilot project with Unicef’s support in H D Kote taluk in Mysuru in 1995. Nali Kali was focussed on transforming learning into a fun-filled activity involving play and group work. Materials for the programme were generally provided by not-for-profit organisations associated with the Department of School Education and Literacy.</p>.<p>“Classrooms used for the Nali Kali programme will be converted into single classrooms in a phased manner. In the first phase, the programme will be halted at 29,000 schools, including those where education is offered in a bilingual medium,” said an official from the School Education Department. </p>.<p>The Nali Kali mode of learning has left the children struggling to string a complete sentence together. “Consequently, this is impacting their learning as they advance to higher grades,” the official added. An official order confirming the suspension of the programme from the 2026-27 academic year will be issued soon, official sources told <span class="italic">DH</span>.</p>.Man flashes woman in Bengaluru's Indiranagar; cops say no CCTV coverage at site .<p>Citing findings from the report on Performing Grading Index published by the Centre, another official said, “Learning outcomes have not improved among our students. How can we expect to see any improvement when we do not have a proper teaching method?”</p>.<p>Then Additional Chief Secretary of the School Education Department Ajay Seth had tried to revamp Nali Kali in 2017, and had conferred with NGOs associated with the initiative. He had opined that scribbling on walls was not the same as writing on books.</p>.<p>A task force constituted for implementing the National Education Policy-2020 too recommended reviewing the Nali Kali programme.</p>.<p>Furthermore, the Karnataka State Primary School Teachers’ Association had also petitioned the Chief Secretary to discontinue Nali Kali. Association president Chandrashekhar Nugli said that, besides impacting learning, Nali Kali was responsible for the dip in enrolment at government schools since parents were not in favour of students from classes one to three being taught together.</p>.<p>Calling Nali Kali an unscientific teaching method, he said that one was unlikely to see such methods being adopted at private schools.</p>.<p>“Students of classes one to three at government schools are lagging their private school counterparts in learning. We welcome the government’s decision to discontinue Nali Kali,” Nugli added.</p>
