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BANGALORE, June 20, 2013

Model schools in GPs to rope in more students

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Ideal student/teacher ratio: 30:1

Kimmane Ratnakar

The State government is planning to establish a model government school at the headquarters of each gram panchayat to attract children towards government-run schools.

Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar told presspersons here on Wednesday: “I have directed Block Education Officers (BEOs) to furnish details regarding number of government schools in each gram panchayat, number of teachers, total number of students and infrastructure available to implement the proposal.”

Just like private schools, school bus facility would be provided to model government schools to attract students.

The main objective of the programme is to ensure attendance of at least 30 children in each class and one teacher exclusively for each section. The proposal would take final shape after submission of reports by all BEOs. “If all goes well, we would implement the proposal from the next academic year,” he said.

Looking for donors

The department is soliciting corporates and big business houses to donate for infrastructure development such as drinking water, electricity, playgrounds and teachers in these schools, he said.

At least Rs. 5,000 crore is required to improve existing infrastructure in government school across the State. While Rs. 3,500 crore is required to improve infrastructure for classes 1 to 10, Rs. 1,500 crore is needed for PU colleges, the Minister said.

Funds

The Minister pointed out that the Primary and Secondary Education Department gets around Rs. 15,000 crore from both State and Union governments for infrastructure of which Rs. 10,500 crore goes towards teachers’ salary, Rs. 1,500 crore for the mid-day meal scheme, Rs. 160 crore for uniforms and Rs. 200 crore for distribution of bicycles for students, which leaves very little for enhancing facilities.