[Research] Karnataka meetings with Education Department

[Guru]

Dear all,

Niranjan Aradhya and I had useful meetings today with Commissioner,
Director (Primary), Director (Secondary), Director (SSK) and SPD, SSK
today (Secretary was on leave). We gave them the *Research Brief*
<https://educationemergency.net/2021/09/coalition-releases-research-brief/>
in Kannada
<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fzhuqd3qRs_hdApq4n_TwpR2b82M7TvZ/view?usp=sharing>
(Thanks to Brinda for translating and Sreemoyee for productionising) and
a note on "*Revising instructional processes
<https://educationemergency.net/2021/09/revising-instructional-processes-on-school-opening/>"*
(thanks to Ranjani), this is the next version of the note that Ranjani
had earlier shared for Rishi's meeting with MOE.

 1. *Commissioner* listened keenly and he and all directors were fully
    agreeable that LPS must open. So the issue seems to be fear (who
    will be responsible if children fall ill/die) at the political
    leadership. Of course, we clarified that attendance should be
    voluntary and parents who want to send children should be able to.
    Also children are not in sterile environments in most cases at
    home/community and susceptibility to virus is low and harm from
    closure is high.
 2. He was keen to get more detailed academic guidelines and requested
    us to share same with him to discuss with SCERT and Minister. We
    said we would share and also that a wider consultative process would
    be needed (I mentioned "wider consultation is happening in TN" and
    "TN has made special budgetary allocation" at the slightest
    opportunity :-)). He said he would convene such a process.
 3. He also said instructions to resume MMS have already  been
    given...but there are  some long wided processes to resume
    (procurement of food grains and said resumption would  be from Oct
    15, post the dasara holidays). He was very clear on this.
 4. *SPD* said they do not have  any funding  issues when I mentioned TN
    special provision. I mentioned schools will need untied grants to
    take care of local repairs/infrastructure, health precautions,
    additional learning materials etc. More follow up needed here as she
    was quite placid. Special untied school grant must be insisted.
 5. All *DPIs* agreed fully that LPS must open asap. They seemed to
    suggest  that the decision was at the CM's level (a meeting is
    scheduled this month end where they will decide to open LPS is the
    feeling)

Similar meetings could be planned in other states also - AP/Telangana,
Maharashtra, Jharkhand... The research brief in English, Hindi and
Kannada is available
<https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aoNEaOZIAWx3IUjIVwgISU_qSUH9sXBE?usp=sharing>
on*https://educationemergency.net/2021/09/coalition-releases-research-brief
*and the revising instructional processes on
*https://educationemergency.net/2021/09/revising-instructional-processes-on-school-opening/*

*Immediate need from department is a more detailed academic guidelines
("What should teachers do when schools open - across grades and
'subjects'). This is something we should focus on as all state govts
will be keen to have this. *

regards,
Guru
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