Mysuru:  Senior JD(S) MLC and former Minister Basavaraj Horatti said there should be a merger of Departments of Primary and Secondary Education with the Department of Higher Education in Karnataka.

Speaking to newsmen recently, Horatti, a former Minister, claimed that Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had already advised the Secretaries of the two Departments to explore the possibility of merging the two Departments into a single entity like ones existing in most other States.

“We should have a single Human Resource Department (HRD) like the one in the Centre and many other States”, Horatti said adding that a single Ministry will ensure continuity of policies for students from primary school till their higher education.

He made a strong pitch for overhauling the provisions of Right to Education (RTE) to encourage admissions to government-run Kannada medium schools.

Pointing out that RTE only assures free and compulsory education, Horatti said parents should be made to exhaust options for admissions in Kannada medium government schools and later in government-aided educational institutions in their neighbourhood before seeking admissions in unaided private institutions.

On his induction as a Minister, Horatti said he was unlikely to find a berth in the coalition Cabinet in view of the huge demand for ministerial portfolios.

Horatti, who is serving a record seventh consecutive term as MLC representing Karnataka West Teachers’ constituency, had served as Primary and Secondary Education Minister during the 20-month JD(S)-BJP alliance government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy.

He said he preferred to stay out of the race and allow aspirants who had not got an opportunity to serve as Ministers so far.