Kannada is compulsory in all schools, says Minister Tanveer Sait

Bengaluru: Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Tanveer Sait said the students will be taught Kannada in all schools in the state starting this academic year.

A circular to this effect was issued on May 29. Stringent action, including withdrawal of the no-objection certificate issued by the Education Department, would be initiated in case of non-compliance, Sait said.

Textbooks for the subject are ready and 99.89% of printing has been completed. Digitised versions of Kannada textbooks will be made available online.

On Kannada-medium schools in border areas and in other States, he said the department was studying two reports on protecting Kannada, submitted by activist Vatal Nagaraj and writer Baragur Ramachandrappa. The minister said singing the Nada Geethe is likely to be made mandatory in all schools in Karnataka.

He said in many schools, during the assembly, children sing the national anthem and in some cases, even the school anthem but the government wants schools to teach children to respect the land and its culture and ensure that they sing the Nada Geethe.

He said the education department will extend Comprehensive Continuous Evaluation (CCE) to class five and seven from this academic year.