NEWS – The State Education Policy (SEP) Commission, chaired by Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat and formed to draft a separate education policy for the state in place of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP), has submitted its final report to the Chief Minister

KEY POINTS OF THE REPORT

Two-Language Policy

• Kannada or the mother tongue to be the compulsory medium of instruction till Class 5, preferably extended up to Class 12.
• English to be taught as the second language.
• Mandatory bilingual teacher training and creation of a Language Teaching Centre.
• Replaces NEP’s three-language formula.

Structural Reforms

• Adopt 2+8+4 model: 2 years pre-primary, 8 years elementary, 4 years secondary education (vs NEP’s 5+3+3+4).
• Attach pre-primary sections to existing primary schools.
• Standardize Class 1 admission age at 6 years ± 3 months.
• Retain small schools to ensure accessibility.
• Establish an ECCE Council for early childhood care.

Access, Equity & Fee Regulation

• Extend RTE coverage from ages 6–14 to 4–18 years.
• Regulate private school fees through a dedicated regulatory body.
• Enforce EBS quota compliance and improve private school teacher working conditions.
• Bring private pre-schools under regulation.

Teacher Recruitment & Quality

• End contractual appointments; fill all positions with qualified, regular staff.
• Reduce dependency on NCERT textbooks by adding local state content.
• Group Classes 1–8 and Classes 9–12 for curriculum purposes.

Funding & Public Education Focus

• Allocate 30% of the state budget to education.
• Universalize secondary education and prevent over-privatization.
• Start pre-primary education in all government schools.

Constitutional Value Education

• Institutionalise Constitutional Value Education as a compulsory subject.
• Embed values from the Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Duties, and Directive Principles across the curriculum.
• Aim: Nurture informed, responsible, constitutionally aware citizens.

Focus on Girls’ Education & Equity

• Free education for girls in government, aided, and private unaided colleges.
• Financial incentives to delay child marriage and encourage schooling.
• Special support for low-income Muslim students, rural girls, and households with low parental education.