BENGALURU: The high court on Monday directed the Karnataka government to tap Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds to distribute laptops, tablets and computers to government school and RTE students to facilitate learning under the Vidyagama programme during the pandemic.
The high court directed the government to decide whether Vidyagama could be recommenced after assessing the Covid-19 status in the state.
A division bench headed by Justice BV Nagarathna granted 10 days for reconsideration while pointing out that it’s not known when the pandemic will subside and when regular classes will commence for students, particularly those who have benefited by the RTE Act.
‘Kids may be forced into labour or marriage if classes disrupted’
Vidyagama, designed for students without access to technology or the internet, was discontinued due to a spike in positive cases.
The government told the court that currently, only classes 5 to 10 students are being taught through TV channel Chandana, while pre-primary and primary pupils have no benefit of online education. Responding to the submission by the government advocate that the state is facing a financial crunch following huge expenditure due to Covid-19 spread, the court said the government may garner CSR funds under under Section 135 read with Schedule VII(ii) of Companies Act, 2013 for distribution of laptops, tablets and computers.
Petitioners AA Sanjeev Narrain and two others had sought directions for providing online educational gadgets/ facilities to children, particularly those under the Right to Education Act, 2009.
They said due to lack of continuity in classes, children may be distracted. There is a possibility that such children may be forced into labour or marriage and now they don’t get midday meals also.
Article Credit: timesofindia.indiatimes