Karnataka - Bangalore

Corporates to ‘nurture’ government schools

Bangalore: The Government is planning to appeal to the “nurturing” instincts of corporate houses to keep government schools in good shape and running well in a sustained manner. A blueprint for this is being worked out.

According to sources in the Education Department, the government is thinking of approaching corporate houses to nurture government schools in an “institution-based manner” using the funds set aside for Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

“Usually corporates sponsor a room or some other facility and then withdraw from the scene. We are looking at a sustained relationship where between the school and the corporate house,” according to the source. As per the model being planned, a representative of the corporate house will “be part of the journey” with the school.

“They will not stop with providing infrastructure,” said the source.

Though Bangalore is likely to be the first place where this model will be tried out, given the concentration of corporate houses here, the initiative it is hoped will not stop with the city.

The source, however, clarified that this is not the public-private partnership model because the corporates will not be building something new, but only adopting and nurturing an institution which is in place.

A draft proposal by the Centre on starting “model schools” in public-private partnership sent to all States earlier this year, including Karnataka, had come in for criticism.

This was following a proposal in the 11th Five Year Plan which says that the Government, rather than starting schools and running them, should move towards bearing the children’s educational cost.

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