BELAGAVI/ATHANI: The syllabus of Maharashtra government Kannada schools (MGKS) seems to contain more information about the Kannada language, history, culture and traditions, than that of Karnataka government Kannada schools (KGKS). Important information with links to Karnataka or the Kannada language, which has been skipped in the KGKS syllabus, has been covered by books of MGKS, according to teachers of government Kannada schools of both states.
The syllabus covered by books of students from Class 1 to 7 in MGKS covers the history of Vijayapura’s Gol Gumbaz, Hampi, Basaveshwara’s life history, poems on Jog waterfall, and farmer poems recognised by the Karnataka government, like ‘Negilayogi’, the life history of vachana researcher PG Halakatti, noted Kannada writers Shivaram Karanth, Dinkar Desai and other important information linked to Karnataka and Kannada. MGKS books for Classes 8 to 10 cover the history of Sir Visvesvaraya, theatre artiste Yenagi Balappa, Belur and Halebid, vachanas of Akkamahadevi, Muktayakka, Sarvadya and more.
Former MGKS textbook committee chairman AK Pattar told TNIE that the Maharashtra State Textbook Committee and Research Centre of Pune had formed a special team to conduct thorough research on
Kannada language, culture, tradition and history. Based on that study, the syllabus of the government Kannada schoolbooks of Maharashtra was drawn up. Before publishing books under the new syllabus, more than 60 Kannada subject teachers were invited for a three-day seminar, during which discussions and debates in connection with the new syllabus of Kannada books were held. He said that suggestions in favour of the new syllabus were also welcomed by the teachers.
Only after the seminar was complete, the final touch was given to the new syllabus and after it was approved by the Maharashtra government, the books were published, said Pattar, whose name is printed on the books. Noted Kannada activist Ashok Chandargi lauded the efforts of the Maharashtra government education department in publishing Kannada schoolbooks after such thorough research. He appreciated the neighbouring state for not allowing political issues to interfere in the education system. This can build more healthy relations between Kannada and Marathi-speaking people, Chandargi concluded.