Will Karnataka vote against shoddy edu system?

Any party that comes to power in Karnataka must take note of the fact that the education system, especially for the lower strata of society, needs a great deal of improvement in the state. Vicky Nanjappa reports.

An interesting report released by IndiaGoverns Research institute shows that there has been a decrease of 6.23 per cent in the enrolment in government schools in Karnataka.

Ironically in 2009 there were about 33.11 lakh children in class 1 to 5 and in 2011-12 there are only 31.05 lakh children.

However, the case in respect of private schools is a bit more encouraging. There were about 20.40 lakh children in class 1 to 5 in private schools in 2009-10. And there were about 21.19 lakh children in class 3 to class 7 in private schools in 2011-12. Thus, there is 3.85 per cent increase in enrolment in private schools.

The top constituencies where children have left the education system are as follows. The report states that there are 76 MLA constituencies in Karnataka where the number of children leaving schools is high, the report shows.

5,591 children have quit schools in Bijapur City, 5,375 in Chittapur, 5,296 in Jevargi, 5,114 in Shorapur, and 4927 in Indi.

Meanwhile, girl enrolment exceeded the enrolment of boys in only in 7 constituencies in 2011-12. In 2010-11, girl enrolment has exceeded the enrolment of boys in 8 constituencies, the report states.

The state average of girl to boy ratio is about 93 per cent per MLA constituency in 2011-12.

A total of about 74,000 SC/ST children have left government schools by 2011-12.

There were about 11.6 lakh SC/ST children in government schools in the class 1 to 5 batch in 2009-10. By the year 2011-12, the batch would be in class 3 to class 7. There are about 10.9 lakh SC/ST children in class 3 to class 7 in government schools in 2011-12.

The Right to Education Act specifies that all private unaided schools must enroll at least 25 per cent children from weaker sections. The state average of percentage enrolment of children from weaker sections in private unaided schools is only about 7 per cent, the report states.

The Right to Education Act requires all government schools to provide special training for children who are lagging academically. There are no official estimates of how many children were lagging academically in the state in 2011-12.

6,600 students received special training out of all children in government schools in class 1-5 in 2011-12, the report adds.

Complete Coverage: Battleground Karnataka