Bengaluru : In a major education reform, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that 900 Kannada and Urdu medium schools across the state will be upgraded into Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) to strengthen mother tongue-based learning and promote regional languages in education.
Speaking at the 70th Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations, the Chief Minister emphasized that neglecting local languages weakens children’s ability to learn and think critically. “The state government will prioritise Kannada teaching in madrasas and develop Kannada as a language of modern technology,” Siddaramaiah said, urging scholars and experts to contribute to this initiative.
Under this ambitious plan, 800 Kannada medium schools and 100 Urdu medium schools will be upgraded, each with an investment of approximately ₹4 crore, bringing the total project cost to around ₹2,500 crore. Additionally, the government has allocated ₹483 crore for the development of Urdu schools under the same model.
Highlighting the importance of education in the mother tongue, Siddaramaiah called on the Central Government to enact a law ensuring primary education in regional languages. “Children in advanced countries learn in their mother tongues. In India, English and Hindi dominance has weakened our local languages. It’s time to act,” he said.
Currently, Kannada language teaching has begun in 180 madrasas, and the programme will be expanded to 1,500 madrasas in the coming years. The government also aims to prepare Kannada for the digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) era, ensuring local youth are not left behind in emerging job markets.
Reaffirming his commitment to preserving Karnataka’s linguistic and cultural heritage, the Chief Minister announced that a new policy to promote Kannada language, culture, and heritage globally is in the works. He also paid tribute to the heroes of the Karnataka unification movement, including Aluru Venkata Rao and Kengal Hanumanthaiah, for their contributions to the state’s unity in 1956.
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