Schools across Karnataka will reopen from Monday (June 1), and in the wake of the Cabinet dissolution following the resignation of the Chief Minister, the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) has cancelled the Karnataka Public School (KPS) foundation stone-laying ceremony that outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was supposed to preside over in Shivamogga the same day.
The earlier planned mega parents-teachers meeting (PTM) with the Chief Minister, featuring live interaction with students and parents through video conference in all schools across the State, has also been cancelled.
Instead, school opening ceremonies will be held as usual across the State. Rashmi Mahesh, Principal Secretary of DSEL, and Vikas Kishor Suralkar, Commissioner of Public Instruction, will participate in the school reopening ceremony to be held in Bengaluru.
“The school inauguration for the academic year 2026-27 in government and aided schools in the State will take place on June 1. The schools will be cleaned and decorated with garlands. Preparations have been made to organise a midday meal with sweets, like a feast meal,” said Mr. Suralkar.
“The foundation stone-laying ceremony for the KPS and mega PTM in Shivamogga have been suspended for the time-being. An appropriate decision will be taken after the formation of the new government,” the Commissioner stated.
There are more than 46,000 government and aided schools across the State, and the government is distributing free textbooks, two sets of uniforms, and shoes and socks, to all students from LKG to class 10.
Distribution of textbooks to schools is in progress, with the department already having delivered textbooks to about 95% of schools.
“The free textbooks provided to students of government and aided schools will include Part-1 and Part-2. Part-1 books have already reached more than 95% of the schools. Part-2 textbooks will be delivered to all schools by the end of June. In addition, the Sethubandha, a bridge course programme, will be held for the first one month, for which no textbooks are required,” explained Mr. Suralkar.
He added that the first set of uniforms has already reached about 90% of the schools. “The remaining schools will be covered by June 1,” he said.
However, the students have to wait at least a month and a half to get shoes and socks. For the first time, the department has called for a centralised tender for the supply of shoes and socks this year. As per the information available, the bidders are yet to get the work order. Officials are confident of shoes and socks reaching schools by July-end.
Meanwhile, the government has also given approval for the recruitment of 51,000 guest teachers for the 2026-27 academic year, with 40,000 for primary schools and 11,000 for high schools.
Most private schools in the State have been conducting classes since May 25.
Published - May 30, 2026 07:59 pm IST
Source: The Hindu - India News
