BENGALURU: The state government will penalise schools if they fail to include Kannada as a first or second language in a phased manner. The state government had previously made draft regulations for the same and invited objections. Even after the lapse of the said period, no objections have been raised according to the government.
With the new notification, schools that have not been teaching Kannada have been asked to compulsorily include it either as the first or second language, starting from 2017-18. To begin with, private schools have been asked to introduce the language to class 1 students in 2018-19, Class 1 and 2 in 2019-20 and add one grade every year. Schools that fail to do this would have to face penal action.
Those students from Class 2 to 8 who relocate to Karnataka would be prescribed Class 1 Kannada text book in the first year in the state and will move on to read Class 2, 3 to Class 10 text as they proceed to higher grades.For those coming to study in the state for grades nine and ten, the KSEEB would decide on the text to be prescribed for them.
The Department of Primary and Secondary Education has laid down the rules for implementation of the Kannada Language Learning Act, 2015. While government schools from classes one to four will follow the Nali Kali textbooks for Kannada, private schools are to follow the Kali Nali textbooks.
While pro-Kannada activists have hailed the decision of the state government, some parents are unhappy with the latest order.