Departments at loggerheads over LKG-UKG in Karnataka government schools

BENGALURU/HAVERI: A turf war between two govt departments department of school education and literacy and department of women and child development over starting LKG and UKG sections in govt schools has now reached the chief minister’s office.
The decision to start kindergarten classes in schools which come under the school education department was met with stiff resistance from anganwadi workers, who come under the department of women and child development, fearing job loss as they contend that children would tend to be admitted to govt schools at the early age of four, instead of being sent to anganwadis.
In view of the prevailing imbroglio, CM Siddaramaiahhas directed his additional chief secretary LK Atheeq to convene meetings between the two govt departments to arrive at an amicable solution.
262 schools were permitted to start LKG and UKG in 2023
We have developed some ideas of convergence between the two departments. This will be placed before the chief minister on Monday," said an official.
While anganwadis take care of the nutritional needs of toddlers, the academic aspect is far from satisfactory, thereby making school kindergartens the preferred option for parents.
Anganwadi workers argue that kindergartens should be opened within anganwadis, though the educational qualifications of these workers do not meet the requirements of kindergarten teachers. It was in 2019-20 that the first set of pre-primary sections were started in 176 Karnataka public schools. Until recently, LKG and UKG were run in only 276 public schools and in around 664 govt schools under the School Development and Monitoring Committees.
With the introduction of the National Education Policy, Early Childhood Care and Education received a new impetus. In 2023, 262 more schools were permitted to start LKG and UKG sections. This year, the Kalaburagi division itself opened 1,008 pre-school sections in its primary schools, while permission was granted for another 316 sections across the state.