Karnataka Government Plans to Introduce English-Medium Instruction in State Schools

April 2, 2024, 10:13 a.m.

In a recent announcement, Karnataka School Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa unveiled the government's ambitious plan to expand English-medium instruction in state-run schools. This move comes in response to a noticeable trend of children leaving government schools due to the lack of English-medium education options. The minister highlighted the significant demand for English-medium schools across the state, prompting the government to aim for the establishment of an additional 500 Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) offering English-medium instruction alongside Kannada within the next three years.

01_Karnataka_Government_Plans_to_Introduce_English_Medium_Instruction_in_State_Schools

The decision was prompted by concerns raised by Thirthahalli BJP MLA Araga Jnanendra, who emphasised the closure of government schools due to parental preferences for English-medium education. Minister Bangarappa acknowledged the parental demand for English-medium education while also emphasising the importance of prioritising Kannada. He stressed the need to address this challenge by providing both mediums of instruction in government schools, thereby giving parents the option to choose. Citing studies conducted by the school education department, Minister Bangarappa highlighted the growing number of children leaving government schools due to the absence of English-medium education and insufficient infrastructure.

Currently, around 300 Karnataka Public Schools offer English as the medium of instruction, with plans to expand this provision further. The government's objective is to have one KPS for every two-gram panchayats, with plans to utilise Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding to support English-medium education in government schools. Minister Bangarappa expressed optimism about the response to this initiative and the potential for small-scale investments to yield positive outcomes.