From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jul 17: Disclosing that he has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene a meeting of all State Chief Ministers on the medium instruction issue, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah announced in the State Legislative Assembly that he would take up the initiative if the Centre failed to respond.
''I have requested Modi to convene a meeting of all State CMs or list the medium of instruction as the main subject in the National Development Council (NDC) meeting, which comprises all State CMs as members,” Siddaramaiah said he would not hesitate to convene a meeting of all State CMs if Modi does not respond positively.
The chief minister said the subject of medium of instruction has assumed importance following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that choosing medium of instruction was left to the parents to decide and that the State Governments cannot enforce their policies on them.
The apex court had quashed the State Government’s policy on making the State’s official language of Kannada as compulsory medium of instruction in all primary schools in the State.
The chief minister, who responded to the demand of K S Puttannaiah in the House, for making Kannada as the medium of instruction mandatory in the primary schools.
''We cannot do anything on the issue as the Supreme Court’s May ruling is very clear,” he said.
Puttannaiah, who participated in the debate on the demand for grants pertaining to the education system, said physical education and sports must be made compulsory in schools and also demanded that schools should have playgrounds.
The MLA also lamentedthat moral education was slowly disappearing from the syllabus.
The Anglo Indian nominated member Vinisha Nero expressed concern over atrocities against women and suggested self-defence classes must be given to girls in schools and colleges.
"Girls should be taught to identify dangerous situations and we should have zero tolerance on crime against women," she said.
''The moral education in schools stops after class sixth. This education should be continued even in colleges," she said and urged the government to simplify CET process as parents and students were made to wait for long during seat selection process.