Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah directs officials to identify out-of-school children

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday instructed the officials of the School Education department to identify out-of-school children. 

While reviewing the School Education and Literacy, Siddaramaiah told officials to conduct a special survey to identify children below the age 16 who are out of school and ensure they are admitted to schools. 

He instructed officials to identify those away from schools mainly because of social and economic reasons.

During the review he recalled one of his teachers who admitted him to school.

“I was also out of school. I am here today as a chief minister because of my teacher Rajappa who identified and admitted me to a school,” he said. 

The chief minister said that 2,000 schools at the panchayat level would be upgraded as model schools with CSR funds.

“The corporates in the state were supposed to spend Rs 8,163 crore under CSR. The companies have earned profit of Rs 4 lakh crores and are spending only 30% on the CSR,” said the CM. He said that 500 locations have been identified across the state for developing 2,000 schools in the next three years.

“We have asked top private schools to adopt government schools,” he added.  During the review of Skill Department Siddaramaiah said that under PM Swanidhi scheme the state has crossed the target fixed by the Union government.