A pilot project of the ambitious Karnataka Public School (KPS Magnet School) at Honganur, Channapatna taluk, Bengaluru South district has not taken off and is facing stiff opposition from parents and villagers on the ground.
Seven government schools from nearby villages with a total strength of 392 students were to be merged with KPS in Honganur. However, only two schools with a total of 22 students were merged, and of those, only 7 students began attending KPS Magnet School. The merger of schools in the remaining five villages was bitterly opposed by students and parents.
Notice for teachers
However, the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) has now issued notices to school teachers in five villages – Hodike Hosahalli, Kannidoddy, Ammallidoddi, Santemogenahalli and Sunnaghatta – accusing them of failing to convince parents and students about the purpose of KPS Magnet schools, their benefits and the facilities available in these schools. “After persuading parents, appropriate action should be taken to issue Transfer Certificate (TC) to children by March 11, 2026. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action,” warned the notice issued to teachers by Ramalingaiah K., Block Head of School (BEO), Channapatna.
Pilot project
The state government plans to start 800 KPS schools across the state to improve the quality of education. Her goal is to merge nearby schools with these KPS “Magnet” schools and turn them into well-equipped schools.
KPS school in Honganur was selected as a pilot project. On 25 October 2025, it was proposed to merge the lower and upper primary government schools in seven surrounding villages with this school, along with their students, teachers and furniture. A private bus was hired to transport the children from the merged schools to KPS Magnet School in Honganur.
However, parents who do not agree with the merger of the schools expressed their disapproval of sending their children to the KPS magnet school. In addition, parents and students staged protests in their villages and at the taluk headquarters in Channapatna.
Currently, only Channankegoudana Doddi School, which has two students, and Mogenahalli Doddi School, which has 20 students, have been merged with KPS Magnet Schools in Honganur. Out of 20 students from Mogenahalli Doddi School, only 5 students go to KPS Magnet School.
The merger of the remaining schools in Hodike Hosahalli with 77 students, Kannidoddi with 82 students, Ammallidoddi with 31 students, Santhemogenahalli with 100 students and Sunnaghatta with 80 students met with strong opposition.
DSEL now holds the teachers responsible for their failure to attract students and parents to KPS Magnet School in Honganur.
Stuck between his parents and the authorities
“There have been eight meetings with the parents since November 2025. However, none of them agree to the merger and enrolling their children in KPS Magnet School. Even though the BEO has reported this to the department eight times, the BEO has issued notices again and again. We are stuck at a standstill between the authorities and the parents. We don’t know what to do.” No one is listening to the merger with our school. KPS Magnet School.
“The KPS Magnet School project is good. However, parents are against the merger of nearby schools. Schools are not only places of education but also the cultural wealth of the respective villages. Therefore, the project should be implemented by convincing the villagers with the help of the government, local MLAs, district level officials including deputy commissioner and other public representatives,” said another teacher.
Student organization AIDSO has expressed strong opposition to the establishment of KPS Magnet Schools. Ajay Kamath, state secretary of AIDSO, said in a statement that the government should heed the protests of local residents and drop the proposal, warning that if not, the struggle would only intensify.
Published – 10 March 2026 19:21 IST
