BENGALURU: Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar on Monday said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has approved a proposal to start lower and upper kindergarten classes in anganwadi centres.
She told reporters here that anganwadi centres will be upgraded and children will be admitted to LKG and UKG classes. The CM has issued a directive to constitute a committee of experts to look into the proposal and suggest recommendations. The purpose of this initiative is to provide good food and quality education to children at the pre-primary level.
The minister said LKG and UKG classes will be started in anganwadi centres across the state, excluding Kalyan Karnataka. “Our aim is to provide quality education and nutritious food to children. They will also be given uniforms, books and bags through the Women and Child Welfare Department,” she said.
The minister said transfer certificates (TCs) will be issued to LKG and UKG students like other government schools. In regular government schools, montessori classes will be started. There was opposition from anganwadi workers to this. “This is why we decided to upgrade the anganwadi centres, where along with Kannada, there is a proposal to teach English to children,” she added.
“Of the total anganwadi teachers, over 9,000 are graduates and 1,500 are postgraduates. With these teachers, we will be able to provide quality education to children,” Hebbalkar said.