The State government will take steps to ensure that Kannada as a language is taught in all private schools, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa announced at the 85th Akhila Bharat Kannada Sahitya Sammelan in Kalaburagi on Wednesday.
This comes in the wake of demands from some Kannada activists to make Kannada-medium instruction compulsory in all schools in the State. Sammelan president H.S. Venkatesh Murthy, who spoke after the Chief Minister, also reiterated this demand.
“We are committed to putting in place a series of steps to see that Kannada is taught in all schools, aided and private, as a language. Kannada should be taught as the first or second language in schools. We will also take steps to strengthen government schools,” the Chief Minister said.
To inculcate the spirit of scientific inquiry, the State government is setting up mobile planetaria. This will increase the interest of children in space technology and India’s efforts in space exploration, he said.
However, the government alone cannot do much to strengthen government schools. The community and parents should work with the government to make sure that government schools are strengthened and become able to provide quality education to all, he said.
The State government was committed to protecting the interests of the State in Mahadayi and other inter-State river water disputes. The government will take the inter-State border row based on the Mahajan commission report, now pending in the Supreme court, to its logical end, he said.
The government will address backwardness and related issues. It will make sure that adequate funds are allocated to the development of Kalyan Karnataka. Among other things, the government will establish a hostel for students from Kalaburagi region in Bengaluru. Land has been allotted in Nagarabavi in the State capital for the hostel that can accommodate around 200 students, he said.
The government has decided to celebrate Kalyan Karnataka Utsav once every two years. This will showcase the culture of the region, he said.
“We are working towards forging sentimental and emotional unity of the State, apart from unity based on language or administration. Our dream is to see that Karnataka remains a homogeneous unit with equality and equal opportunity for all,” the Chief Minister said.
