Bangalore:
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said outsiders settled in Karnataka should learn local language Kannada and decried that English education system had been reduced to a commercial activity.
"Outsiders who have come and settled here have to learn the local language Kannada. It is necessary to learn local culture and language when you are utilising all the facilities from the state and reaping its benefits," said Siddaramaiah at a function organised by the state government to celebrate Karnataka's 58th "Rajyotsava" (state formation day).
At the event, Siddaramaiah said that the government would not close any Kannada schools.
"Let there be inadequate strength or any other reason, we will not close any Kannada-medium school and this is our firm stand. We will improve and develop facilities at government schools so as to create an atmosphere wherein our children will want to join them," Siddaramaiah said.
Admitting that one reason why people at large had disregard towards Kannada schools was due to the way the public education system functions, he said, "Our government has decided to take steps towards improving the quality of education in those schools."
"Unless we bring in positive changes in the way our government schools function, people will not show interest towards Kannada medium education system and they will get carried away by English medium schools," he added.
