BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently urged the Central government to enact comprehensive laws that ensure education is primarily delivered in the mother tongue. This call came as he unveiled significant educational reforms, including the transformation of 900 Kannada and Urdu-medium schools into modern Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) and emphasizing the expansion of Kannada language instruction within Madrasas.
Speaking at the 70th Kannada Rajyotsava celebration, organized by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reiterated his government’s dedication to equipping Kannada to thrive amidst new technological advancements, particularly in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), thereby preventing potential job displacement.
“The government is steadfast in its resolve to position Kannada as a language of modern technology. I appeal to our esteemed scholars and technical experts to actively contribute to this vital endeavor,” he stated.
The Chief Minister elaborated on the plans, noting that 800 Kannada schools and 100 Urdu schools are currently undergoing development to become KPS institutions. Furthermore, Kannada language instruction is being systematically introduced across Madrasas in the state. “Recognizing the paramount importance of elevating Kannada language, culture, and heritage to a global standing, the government is meticulously formulating a new policy framework to achieve this vision,” he added.
He highlighted that Karnataka is home to approximately 3,000 government schools that have been serving the community for over a century. To bolster the state’s school education system, 800 government schools will undergo transformation into Karnataka Public Schools. This ambitious project is estimated to cost Rs 4 crore per school, with a substantial total outlay of Rs 2,500 crore.
“To effectively integrate minority communities into the societal mainstream, primary-level Kannada language teaching has been initiated in 180 Madrasas this year. This program is set for significant expansion, targeting 1,500 Madrasas statewide. Concurrently, an allocation of Rs 483 crore is dedicated to modernizing 100 Urdu schools, aligning them with the KPS model,” the Chief Minister announced.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also reflected on Karnataka’s journey, which began with its unification in 1956. The state has now proudly completed 69 years and is on the cusp of its 70th year. He paid heartfelt tribute to the many martyrs of the unification movement, including Mysuru student Ramaswamy and Ballari’s Ranjan Saab, alongside other revered figures such as Aluru Venkata Rao, Andanappa Doddameti, Gudleppa Hallikeri, Siddappa Kambli, R.H. Deshpande, Kaujalagi Srinivas Rao, and Kengal Hanumanthaiah.
Siddaramaiah underscored Kannada’s rich legacy, a language boasting over 2,000 years of history and officially recognized as a classical language. “Despite this, the historical neglect of Kannada in educational settings has led to numerous challenges. In contrast, children in advanced nations often excel because they learn and conceptualize in their native tongues. For us, the dominance of languages like English and Hindi has unfortunately diminished our children’s inherent cognitive strengths. Therefore, it is imperative to enact a law mandating education in the mother tongue, and the Central Government must address this issue with utmost seriousness,” he emphasized.