Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) are being developed as an integrated education model offering schooling from Lower Kindergarten (LKG) to Class 12, or II PUC, under one roof in both Kannada and English mediums, Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa said.
Bangarappa made the remarks while laying the foundation stone for a new KPS building being constructed at a cost of ₹13.5 crore through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of Ajax Engineering Charitable Trust. The event was jointly organised by the district administration, Zilla Panchayat, Department of School Education and Literacy, Shivamogga Ajax Engineering Limited and Ajax Engineering Charitable Trust.
The minister described Karnataka Public Schools as an ambitious initiative aimed at providing quality education from the early years through higher secondary education within a single institution. The model is intended to provide students with continuity in their schooling while strengthening government education infrastructure.
Bangarappa also highlighted the state's 'Namma Shaale Namma Javabdhari' (Our School, Our Responsibility) initiative, under which community participation is being encouraged in the development of government schools. He said several programmes were being undertaken by the Education Department to improve educational facilities and create better opportunities for children.
According to the minister, 11 Karnataka Public Schools are already functioning in Shivamogga district, while another 24 have been sanctioned with assistance from the Asian Development Bank. The state is also working on a larger CSR-backed project to develop 1,000 Karnataka Public Schools across Karnataka.
In Shivamogga district alone, work is in progress to establish 35 KPS schools, according to the minister. The expansion is part of the government's broader effort to strengthen public education infrastructure and increase access to quality schooling.
The new KPS building being constructed with support from Ajax Engineering Charitable Trust will include 35 well-equipped classrooms, toilets and an Akshara Dasoha Bhavan. The project is targeted for completion within two years, after which the building will be handed over to the Education Department.
Bangarappa also stressed the importance of community involvement in strengthening government schools. While speaking about the responsibility of the Education Department, he called for greater public attention towards the development of schools, noting that education plays a central role in shaping the future of children.
The KPS model, with education planned from LKG through II PUC in Kannada and English, is aimed at creating a more integrated government-school system in Karnataka. With new schools being sanctioned through government and development assistance as well as CSR funding, the state is seeking to expand the reach of the model across districts.
