Visakhapatnam: Putting an end to the impasse over school management committees (SMC), the education department has decided to go ahead with elections for the management bodies of over 42,000 government and aided schools across the state.
With this, these would be the first SMC elections after the TD assumed the office in 2014. Aimed at instating a well-functioning school system, the SMCs play a major role in planning and executing the developmental, personnel, financial and operational activities of the concerned school.
No elections were held after the tenure of the prior committees, which were formed during the Congress regime in 2015.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Principal Secretary (Secondary Education), R. P. Sisodia, informed that they would issue a notification on March 5 and conduct the elections on March 11.
“The parents, who are the key stakeholders of the education system, would help the government in bringing about a potential transformation. The elections encourage them to realise their role and collective engagement,” Mr. Sisodia added.
“From drafting the school development plan and supervising the finances to ensuring accountability and monitoring academic progress, the school committees would complement the government’s efforts in driving the schools toward excellence. They also help identify children who need special training to excel in academics.”
About three parents/guardians of the students are drawn from each class as elected members into the SMC. The new parent/guardian would be inducted into the SMC to replace the parents who move out of the SMC when their wards leave the school.
The headmaster, another teacher, concerned ward member/corporator/councillor/village president, anganwadi worker, ANM and president of women’s welfare group of the concerned village act as ex-officio members. Two co-opted members would also be nominated into the committee.
Allot more for education: MLC
The state government should allocate sufficient funds to provide free education from kindergarten to post-graduation, said MLC from North Andhra Graduates' Constituency, M.V.S. Sarma.
Speaking to the scribes here ahead of the budget sessions, Mr. Sarma asked the government to devise about 10 per cent budgetary allocation to primary and secondary education.
“About 35 per cent population of the state falls into the 0-18 years bracket. By taking up a detailed survey regarding the number of children, the government should help eliminate child labour and ensure education for each child. We ask the government to form district fee regulatory committees with district collector as the chairman, which can relieve the burden of school fees for many parents. The government should also constitute a district-level grievance redressal committee, which closely monitors the implementation of RTE act,” added Mr. Sarma.
State convener of the Right to Education Forum Narava Prakasa Rao said, “Closing down some government schools, saying that there are no pupils in them is highly objectionable. Non-fulfilling of RTE Act also amounts to violation of child rights and said that they asked the personal intervention of the collector in the interest of child rights protection.”
