Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 3: The state government has released a grant of Rs 11.16 crore, allocating Rs 1 lac each to 1,116 selected government primary schools across the state where pre-primary classes are being conducted.

For the academic year 2025-26, Rs 1 lac per school has been sanctioned for the purchase of child-friendly furniture, outdoor play equipment, and BALA (Building as Learning Aid) features for the approved pre-primary classes.

According to an order issued by the State Project Director of Samagra Shikshana Karnataka, the funds have been released to the district level through the government portal to create an activity-based learning environment in pre-primary classes, ensuring joyful learning and a better educational experience for children.

Pre-primary classes have been started in government primary schools through the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC), and the order directs that the funds be released immediately to the school level.

Under the child-friendly furniture component, children aged between 4 and 6 years study in pre-primary classes. To ensure they can sit safely and participate actively in school activities, necessary child-friendly furniture must be purchased as per norms. An amount of Rs 30,000 has been allocated per institution for this purpose.

For outdoor play equipment, Rs 40,000 has been released to install items such as swings, slides, and other play materials to enable children to engage in activities outside the classroom.

Under the BALA features component, one room must be identified for starting the pre-primary class. The room should be equipped with the necessary materials as per guidelines. Local art teachers or experts must be engaged to create attractive paintings for children. A green board or blackboard must be constructed along the walls up to a height of two feet from the floor so that children can write and draw. An amount of Rs 30,000 has been allocated for the purchase of BALA feature equipment.

All expenditure must be managed transparently as per rules. The headmaster, along with the SDMC, must ensure that there is no misuse of funds. The purchase process must be completed within a month, and no additional grant will be permitted under any circumstances.

Concerned block education officers must ensure that equipment and materials have been purchased as per norms in the pre-primary and primary sections of government primary and higher primary schools under their jurisdiction and submit a report to the deputy director.

A consolidated report must be submitted from the district level to the state office. Proper accounts must be maintained for the released funds, and utilisation certificates must be submitted to the Samagra Shikshana Karnataka office by March 31.

Mohiddin Kutty, director, Karnataka State SDMC Coordination Centre Forum said that the release of Rs 1 lac per pre-primary class in government schools has come as a result of the efforts of the SDMC Coordination Centre Forum. “This initiative will help create a structured and supportive learning environment for rural poor children, similar to that available to children from affluent backgrounds,” he said.