Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced the establishment of 500 new Karnataka Public Schools. The project, supported by the Asian Development Bank, will cost ₹2,500 crore. The government has allocated ₹45,286 crore—10% of the total budget—to education. This investment aims to enhance infrastructure, digital learning, and student welfare in government schools.
AI-Based Learning for 2,000 Schools
The budget introduces ‘Kalika Deepa’, an AI-powered learning program in partnership with Ek-Step Foundation. This initiative will help students in 2,000 schools build skills in Kannada, English, and mathematics.
The government has also launched:
- Ganita-Ganaka, a mobile-based math learning program for Classes 3 to 5.
- Jnana Setu, a science and math program with Khan Academy, benefiting 20 lakh students and 15,000 teachers in 5,000 schools.
Nutrition Program Expansion and Teacher Salary Hikes
The Sai Sure Ragi Health Mix powder program will now run five days a week instead of three. The Shri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust will manage it, while the state will cover 25% of the ₹100 crore cost.
Teacher and staff salaries will increase:
- Guest teachers in government schools and PU colleges will receive an ₹2,000 salary hike.
- School cooks will get an ₹1,000 increase in their monthly wages.
School Upgrades and Learning Improvements
The government plans to upgrade 100 higher primary schools to high schools and 50 high schools to PU colleges. A three-year initiative will enhance SSLC and PUC results by ensuring students from LKG to PUC meet grade-level learning targets.
Pre-primary education will expand. Currently, 2,619 government schools enroll 90,195 children. This number will increase to 5,000 schools with a ₹70 crore investment.
Biometric Attendance System in Government Schools
To monitor attendance, the government will introduce Niranata, a facial recognition-based biometric system. This initiative will also track students benefiting from programs like mid-day meals and free school supplies.
However, experts have raised privacy concerns. Many reports from the United States highlight issues with facial recognition attendance systems. In Karnataka, where 17,000 government schools have fewer than 50 students, the effectiveness of this system remains uncertain.
Infrastructure Development and Kalyana Karnataka Initiatives
The budget allocates:
- ₹725 crore for new classrooms, toilet repairs, and school maintenance.
- ₹50 crore for new furniture.
- ₹46 crore to modernize kitchen facilities in 16,347 schools.
Under the Akshara Aavishkara scheme, 50 schools in Kalyana Karnataka will be upgraded to Karnataka Public Schools. The project, costing ₹200 crore, will improve education in the region. Additionally, the government will fill 5,267 vacant teaching posts and hire 5,000 more teachers.
Conclusion
Karnataka’s Budget 2025 prioritizes education with new schools, AI-driven learning, teacher welfare, and biometric attendance systems. These reforms aim to improve accessibility and learning outcomes. However, privacy concerns surrounding facial recognition attendance tracking remain a point of discussion.
