From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Nov 11: Neha B of Mangalore and Udupi district’s Nikhil G Kamath and Hasini are among the School Children who would be honoured with the State-level award for exceptional achievement by Karnataka’s Women and Child Development Department on Children’s Day celebrations in Bangalore on November 2011-12.
The other children who will be conferred the award for exceptional achievement are: C S Vaishnavi, Rakesh K R and Sinchana N Ajmani of Shimoga; Sohan Rajashekar, Vaishnavi M R, J Meghna, Thabassum, Lakshmishree J S, Nikshep B R, Ajay Sri Shetty, S Hiranmayee and Shashank S Puranik of Bangalore; Supritha G, Raghu M and Prakyath M Raj of Mandya; Ranjita B Itagi, Sushma Jakkanna Gouder of Gadag district; Laxman A Ganiger of Bangalore Rural District; Vijay Ravi, Reethu. D, Gangamma B.N and Vedanth M Urs of Mysore; E Srinivas of Davanagere; Laxmidevamma BE of Koratagere Taluk and B Lakshmi of Kampli in Bellary district.
The students staying in Children’s home for scoring 60 per cent marks to be presented with special awards are: Bharamappa M. Hithalamani, Shashi Kumar E Doddakallanavar and Manjunatha M Sanganatha of Ranebennur, Shravan, Ashoka and Jayashankar of Dakshina Kannada district, Ananda, Praveena, Chandrakala H K, Jyothi of Davanagere, Prema Suresh Chikoppa, Jyothi S. and Swetha Y Hosamoni of Belgaum, Mariyamma, Yogesh B Nagaraja, Sudharani, Yasmin, Kavya of Mysore, Amoghasidda Mallappa Shindhe and Renuka Mahalingappa Goudar of Bijapur, Nagesh Erappa Naikara of Khanapur, Nagamma Erappa Dhoopada of Karwar, Veeresha Gurappa Kongawada, Ravi Devendrappa Badigera, Ramesha Mari Naika and Sagara Basavaraja Pola of Gadag, Hanumappa and Nagappa of Raichur, Jyothi S, Shwetha Y, Mukhesh, Mahadevi and Preethi of Udupi, Sowmya and Raviraja of Koteshwara, Lakshmi Chennaih Matad, Roopa Manjunatha Uthangi and Manjula Yellappa Hoovannanavara of Hubli.
Closure of Schools subject to Local Situation: Kageri
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri has said that the Karnataka Government’s decision to close schools with enrolment of less than five children was not a blanket order and that local authorities can take a call on whether or not to close schools depending on their specific local situations.
The minister said that a school with strength of less than five would be merged with another nearby school ''wherever possible.”
He said that taking a decision on the issue was not only the Government’s responsibility but also that of the entire community.
He, however, made it clear that the Government was open to a debate on whether it is possible to have a good learning environment when the strength is very low. “We are willing to open new schools instantly where there is demand for them,” he said.
Kageri also said the Government would also make efforts to attract more children to Government schools. ''Our teacher-student ratio is 1:28, as against the standard of 1:30,” he said.
He pointed out that about 85 per cent of children continue to go to Government schools in Karnataka and infrastructure “on an average” was above the national average, though there might be exceptions.
The government, he said, would not respond to “politically motivated” statements that are accusing the Government of closing down schools in order to hand them over to right-wing organisations.
Answering questions on the demand of Karnataka and other state governments to the Centre on providing additional funds to implement the Right to Education Act, Kageri said that the Centre was yet to specify the sharing pattern.
''We are told that this will be part of the 12th Five Year Plan. We want a commitment from Centre on it,” he said adding: The State has received nearly Rs. 1,500 crore funding from the Centre.