Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jul 5: Kannada Development Authority (KDA) chairman Purushottam Bilimale has strongly opposed the Karnataka government's move to start English medium classes in 4,134 government primary schools, saying it undermines Kannada and violates existing laws.

In a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, education minister Madhu Bangarappa, and chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh, Bilimale said while learning other languages is not wrong, sidelining Kannada in the process is unacceptable. He stressed that learning in the mother tongue is key to preserving a child’s identity and culture.

Bilimale reminded that an amendment to the Child Right Act 29(F) mandates education till Class 8 in the mother tongue, and the then CM Siddaramaiah himself had sought the president’s approval for the same during his Delhi visit. “The present decision contradicts the purpose of this law,” he said.

He demanded the implementation of KDA’s 2017 report to strengthen government schools and called for enforcement of the Kannada Language Learning Act-2015, ensuring Kannada is taught as the first or second language.

Bilimale also called for a separate authority to support aided and unaided Kannada schools and reiterated KDA's endorsement of a two-language policy. He stated that these recommendations have been proposed for the new State Education Policy, expected by end of July, and pledged to raise public awareness on the issue.