With an aim to provide quality education to school children right from pre-primary level with the help of technology and to accelerate and scale policy innovations in school education, the government of Karnataka has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) South Asia, a technology company, on October 9.

The MoU was signed by K.N. Ramesh, State Project Director, Samagra Shikshana Karnataka, Department of School Education and Literacy, and Shobhini Mukerji, Executive Director, J-PAL South Asia, in the presence of Minister for School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa and J-PAL Global Executive Director Iqbal Dhaliwal.

According to the MoU, J-Pal South Asia will set up a ‘Learning Lab’ to solve some of the biggest challenges in school education through science and data. The ‘learning lab’ will enable global research insights to shape Karnataka’s school education policies while giving fresh impetus to scientific evaluations of new and existing school education programmes through randomised evaluations.

The Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) will leverage J-PAL South Asia’s technical expertise to identify, adapt, and implement school education interventions effective in strengthening foundational learning and reducing learning gaps. This effort stands to benefit children across age groups, from early childhood to adolescence.

Mr. Bangarappa said due to lack of technology, children in government schools and rural areas are lagging behind in learning. “It also affected their SSLC exam result. Also, when these children complete SSLC and come to urban areas for higher education or employment, they are left behind without proper skills. Therefore, the Chief Minister had also announced in the State budget about imparting technology based education to the school children. Keeping all these factors in mind, an agreement has been made to provide quality education right from the pre-school level,” he said.