
SHIVAMOGGA: School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa said that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has sanctioned a loan of Rs 2,000 crore for the development of Karnataka Public Schools (KPS).
In addition to that, the state government will allocate Rs 500 crore, bringing the total investment to Rs 2,500 crore for the development of these schools.
The minister told reporters on Friday that the ADB has, for the first time, sanctioned a loan to the state’s education department. “The education department has been facing several challenges, but the people voted us into power to resolve these issues. The ADB does not sanction loans easily"
"It evaluates proposals in depth before approving loan applications. The ADB recognised the bright future of these KPS and, therefore, sanctioned this long-term loan. These funds will be allocated to 400–500 KPS. While a school requires Rs 2 crore, another may need Rs 8 crores, depending on the total intake of students,” he added.
The minister added that schools are also being developed using funds from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Furthermore, free NEET coaching, which is currently available to 25,000 students, will be extended to all students. The department is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to transform education.
“Students who perform well academically in their hometowns often struggle during job interviews in Bengaluru. Only 1 out of 10 candidates pass these interviews, while the rest pursue other jobs despite having strong qualifications.
To address this, we are launching an AI-based initiative for the first time, in collaboration with the Nandan Nilekani Foundation, to help students improve their interview skills, including body language, and increase their chances of success,” he explained.
The minister also said that taluk-level education committees will be formed to address education-related issues, including efforts to bring children back to school.