Bengaluru: In a first of its kind in the country, the department of women and child welfare began government run Montessori (LKG and UKG) classes and the first Montessori starts it’s functioning at an anganwadi centre renamed as ‘Government Montessori’ at Pattegara Palya under Govindaraj Nagar assembly seat of Bengaluru city.
The Minister for Women and Child Welfare Lakshmi Hebbalkar inaugurated the government run Montessori and disclosed the renaming of anganwadis. She said the name of anganwadi centres was in use for 49 years and now it has been changed to ‘Government Montessori’ by the State Government.
“It has been planned to start as many as 250 government Montessori in Bengaluru city while 5000 Montessori will begin its functioning across the State in coming days,” said the Minister and gave the reason that Montessori classes have been started in Karnataka to make quality education accessible to all sections of the society. In the Montessori, children will be taught Kannada and English before they enter primary classes.
The Minister at the inauguration expressed happiness over the start of government run Montessori and Karnataka became the first State to embark upon to open Montessori in the country where admission is free-of-cost.
She pointed out to get a child admitted at a Montessori in private it will cost parents about 1 lakh per year and in such a scenario, a common man cannot afford to send his child to a private run Montessori and the State Government decided to start Montessori to curb private run Montessori menace.
She assured quality education at Montessori run by the State Government and upon admission a child will be given a set of uniform, a bag and pencil box and the Montessori classes will be taken by pre-university passed, degree and post-graduates’ along with already trained teachers.
Issuing a warning to officials concerned, she said, the concerned Deputy Directors and Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) will be held responsible in case of distribution of substandard foods to children in Montessori classes and such officials will be placed under suspension, if found guilty.
