Areas of north Karnataka bear the scars of heavy rains and floods with families struggling to pick up pieces of their lives. Students whose school buildings were damaged or destroyed are attending makeshift classes in temples, community halls and tin sheds.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Primary and Secondary Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar said the department would ensure that school buildings are repaired or rebuilt in flood-affected districts.

S.R. Umashankar, Principal Secretary, Primary and Secondary Education Department, said the Finance Department has released around ₹500 crore for this purpose. “It will take around six months to a year to construct new school buildings where the buildings are completely damaged,” he said.

Students in flood-affected districts will be given new textbooks by this month. A survey found the department will have to provide as many as 11.4 lakh textbooks. “We got in touch with other districts, procured around distributed four lakh excess textbooks to students. Later, orders were given for the remaining textbooks. Around 70% of the supply has been completed,” he said. Students will also be given a new set of uniforms shortly.