Mangaluru, (The Hindu): The State government has opened four more Moulana Azad Model English Medium Schools in Dakshina Kannada, while there continues to be a poor response to two of the four schools started in the district last year.

In the budget last year, the State government proposed to open 200 Model English Medium Schools to bring school dropouts from the minority communities back to school.

These were to be opened at places where the Urdu schools were closed or where there were less number of students in the Urdu schools. In the absence of Urdu schools, the model schools were to be opened on the land of the Department of Minority Welfare or at any rented accommodation for students of Class 6 and older. The number of seats was fixed at 60 per class

In the first phase last year, the Model Schools were opened at 100 places including four in Dakshina Kannada. These were opened in Kudroli and Manjanady of Mangaluru taluk, Moolarpatna in Bantwal taluk and Kallega village in Puttur taluk. While there was good admission to Class 6 in Manjanady and Kallega schools, the response was poor in Moolarpatna and Kudroli, an official said.

This academic year, the Directorate of Minorities opened the schools in Gurukambla village, off Kaikamba-Bajpe Road, and in Ulaibettu in Mangaluru taluk. Urban Development and Housing Minister U.T. Khader told reporters here on Monday that two more schools had been opened in Farangipete and in Kallapu.

Mr. Khader said the Model School in Farangipete has been opened in the premises of the Government Kannada Medium Higher Primary School in the village. The one in Kallapu in Ullal has been functioning in the premises of the Government Urdu School.

When it was pointed out that starting English medium schools will go against the Kannada Development Authority’s demand to teach English as a subject in government schools, Mr. Khader said the State government will send a suitable reply to the authority.