Shivamogga
The Department of School Education (Pre-University) in Karnataka has issued directives asking pre-university college lecturers to ensure their students register for the “Jnana Sethu” program using smartphones. This initiative requires students to create a Gmail account and gain access to Khan Academy, an online platform providing educational resources for the scheme.
This mandate has caused considerable worry among parents, particularly in rural areas. Many have expressed to teachers that they cannot afford to purchase smartphones for their children. Others are deeply concerned about the potential negative effects of phone addiction on their children’s well-being. Parents of students residing in hostels are even more apprehensive, as they won’t be able to monitor their children’s smartphone usage directly.
Harish M.K. from Melinakoppa in Tirthahalli, who is a guardian to his sister-in-law attending college, shared his apprehension. “Previously, teachers and officials actively discouraged students from using smartphones through various awareness campaigns. Now, it’s surprising to hear them ask us to provide phones for our children. Who will keep an eye on their phone usage in hostels?” He further emphasized that he would only consider getting a phone if the college principal or hostel in-charge could guarantee the student’s safety.
Understanding the Jnana Sethu Initiative
Earlier this year, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the Jnana Sethu scheme in collaboration with Khan Academy, a non-profit dedicated to education. The primary goal of this program is to enhance the learning experience for students in government schools and colleges from classes 6 to 12. Khan Academy will offer its educational resources and AI tools to teachers for free as part of this partnership. The education department plans to allocate ₹5.4 crore for teacher training under this scheme, as per official orders.
Future Expansion to Younger Students
Currently, the focus is on registering pre-university college students for the program. However, plans are in place for high school and even higher primary students to join the Jnana Sethu scheme in the near future.
Chandrappa S. Gundupalli, Deputy Director of Pre-University Education in Shivamogga, confirmed that lecturers are following departmental instructions to facilitate student registration. He explained that “Children need mobile phones to access the online learning materials. We are simply carrying out the department’s directives and overseeing the registration process.”