<p>The kindergarten setup at state government schools will be more attractive and child-friendly from the next academic year as the Department of Primary and Secondary Education has decided to construct a ‘play area’.</p>.<p>Considering the facilities available at private kindergartens which keep children engaged and physically active, the department has decided to follow suit.</p>.<p>According to the sources, a proposal has been discussed during the recent meeting, and the facility will come up at state-run kindergartens from 2020-21 academic year. “It is difficult for teachers to engage the kindergarten kids with only classroom activities. Hence, the department has decided to come up with a dedicated play area following the feedback and suggestions by the teachers and the parents,” said an official source from the department.</p>.<p>The play areas will have equipment like swing, slide, climbing, jumping board, rocker chair, ball pool, sand box, adjustable basket ball stand and tunnel among others.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the department has decided to increase the number of kindergartens for 2020-21 academic year considering the demand. Along with existing 276 Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) where department had started kindergartens/pre-schools during 2019-20 academic year, the department has decided to extend the same to other schools too during 2020-21 academic year.</p>.<p>During 2019-20 academic year over 8,000 children enrolled for pre-primary classes at government schools (KPS) and the number of kids admitted to each section were 30. “This has been discussed even at the pre-budget meeting and submitted a proposal for 225 more KPS and kindergarten at all of them,” official added.</p>.<p>Currently there are over 2,000 applications pending before the government to start pre-primary classes. An internal survey conducted by the department revealed that 40% of the children joined pre-primary classes were from the middle and upper middle-class background.</p>
<p>The kindergarten setup at state government schools will be more attractive and child-friendly from the next academic year as the Department of Primary and Secondary Education has decided to construct a ‘play area’.</p>.<p>Considering the facilities available at private kindergartens which keep children engaged and physically active, the department has decided to follow suit.</p>.<p>According to the sources, a proposal has been discussed during the recent meeting, and the facility will come up at state-run kindergartens from 2020-21 academic year. “It is difficult for teachers to engage the kindergarten kids with only classroom activities. Hence, the department has decided to come up with a dedicated play area following the feedback and suggestions by the teachers and the parents,” said an official source from the department.</p>.<p>The play areas will have equipment like swing, slide, climbing, jumping board, rocker chair, ball pool, sand box, adjustable basket ball stand and tunnel among others.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the department has decided to increase the number of kindergartens for 2020-21 academic year considering the demand. Along with existing 276 Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) where department had started kindergartens/pre-schools during 2019-20 academic year, the department has decided to extend the same to other schools too during 2020-21 academic year.</p>.<p>During 2019-20 academic year over 8,000 children enrolled for pre-primary classes at government schools (KPS) and the number of kids admitted to each section were 30. “This has been discussed even at the pre-budget meeting and submitted a proposal for 225 more KPS and kindergarten at all of them,” official added.</p>.<p>Currently there are over 2,000 applications pending before the government to start pre-primary classes. An internal survey conducted by the department revealed that 40% of the children joined pre-primary classes were from the middle and upper middle-class background.</p>