BANGALORE: Citing paucity of funds, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is preparing to outsource the management of its schools and colleges to corporate houses.
The BBMP runs 178 primary and secondary schools, 38 high schools, 13 pre-university colleges and one degree college.
It has also washed its hands of the mid-day meal scheme in its schools. “We spend around `1.5 crore on it. Now the Department of Public Instruction will take care of their meals,” BBMP Additional Commissioner (Education) Manjunath Swamy said. The BBMP is also writing to the Department of Women and Child to take care of its anganwadi centres.
Under Mayor B S Sathyanarayana’s project of Namma Bengaluru, Nanna Koduge (Our Bangalore, My Contribution), the BBMP has identified six BBMP schools with low student strength for complete adoption, and 80 schools for repairs and renovation.
“We are also seeking private parties to academically support our schools and colleges,” an official source said.
Many corporate companies and private institutions have shown interest in adopting schools.
In 2011, the BBMP had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan to run a school with CBSE syllabus at Srirampuram in the city.
Expertspeak
Many education experts feel the BBMP is shirking its responsibility by handing over its schools to corporate houses, but they are less critical of the move to rope in the state government for help.
The Right to Education lays down that every school have a specific number of teachers, classrooms, toilets and a playground. The BBMP is shifting its responsibility to others as many of its schools do not comply. On a positive note, this will benefit teachers and children. If the BBMP decides to outsource its schools, let them also hand over the entire system, including their buildings, to the Department of Public Instruction. Let the BBMP concentrate on roads and trees.
- Vasudeva Sharma Executive Director, Child Rights Trust