Jnanpith awardees’ schools set for facelift

The Karnataka government has decided to renovate 11 schools, where Jnanpith awardees studied, at a cost of Rs 16 crore.

The project, which was announced during the 2021-22 budget, will be taken up now with the government releasing the funds.

Following a request by the department of public instruction, the state government had recently issued an order releasing the amount. However, as per the estimation, the amount needed for renovation and upgradation of these schools was Rs 47 crore.

Even the then adviser to government (education reforms) Prof M R Doreswamy had submitted a proposal to the government requesting to release funds to give these schools a facelift.

The department has constituted a committee, headed by the chief executive officers of the respective Zilla Panchayats, to monitor the renovation works of these schools.

According to the report available with the department, most of the schools, where Jnanpith awardees studied, are in a bad condition and also in need of facilities, like toilets, drinking water dispensers and other basic infrastructure.