No summer camp for kids of govt schools this year too

There will be no summer camp for students of government schools in Karnataka for the fourth straight year. There is no proposal to restart the summer camp, a source from the department of public instruction (DPI) told DH.

In 2017-18, the government introduced a scheme called ‘Swalpa moju, swalpa odu’ to engage children during the summer vacation.

The scheme catered to children from poor families who couldn’t afford the expensive private summer camps.

The scheme was taken up following a recommendation in the annual status of education report, 2016, prepared by Pratham, a non-governmental organisation.

In the first year, camps were held at 7,049 government schools for students who had completed classes 5 and 6.

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It was a five-week-long programme where students learnt mathematics and science and did extracurricular activities. Midday meals were also served. The programme was a hit in the districts of the Kalyana Karnataka region.

The scheme was, however, discontinued in 2018-19 due to poor turnout.

As then primary and secondary education minister, S Suresh Kumar was keen to reintroduce the scheme and had held discussions in this regard with officials. But Covid-19 put paid to the idea. Teachers at government schools say it was a “great programme”.

“Such programmes are needed for students of primary classes. In our school, the parents of a majority of students are daily wage workers and cannot afford private summer camps,” said Surekha, who teaches at a government school in South Bengaluru.

A teacher from a government school in Malleswaram said children were very happy with the summer camp.

“In the first year, we engaged kids in activities like arts, painting, drawing, dance and sports,” she said. Some volunteers also took part in the camp.

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