The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Focus on nursery, primary education, Govt. told

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 15, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Focus on nursery, primary education, Govt. told

Special Correspondent

`Children are admitted to class one without preparation'

BANGALORE: N.L. Narendra Babu (Congress) said in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that government schools should have nurseries.

Speaking on the demand for grants of the Education and Agriculture departments, he said children joining government schools are admitted directly to first standard without preparation.

Because of this, they are not able to come up to the standard of children who join kindergarten in private schools. Children also attend playschool, which prepares them for kindergarten, he added.

Mr. Narendra Babu said it should be remembered that children have grasping power and more importance should be given to nursery and primary education, the standard of which should be the same for all children.

He said English should be taught in all schools from first standard. If necessary, the Government could direct schools against conducting a test or examination.

Referring to the collection of capitation fee in primary schools, Mr. Narendra Babu said it is continuing largely because of "collusion" between officials of the Education Department and school managements.

"I had complained to the Primary and Secondary Education Minister and brought to his notice the names of the schools in the Rajajinagar constitutency which were collecting huge capitation fees. The officials of the Education Department, instead of taking action, printed copies of my complaint and circulated them to the school managements," he added.

He said a task force for education should be set up in each Assembly constituency.

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