BENGALURU: Parents of children studying in Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) schools can finally have their say in the affairs of the school, thanks to then Administrator T M Vijay Bhaskar. In one of his last days as administrator, Vijay Bhaskar passed a resolution to constitute School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMC). The SDMCs were not established all these years as councillors did not want to lose their hold on Palike schools.
According to the Right To Education Act, government aided schools should have an SDMC, which should monitor civil works, check amenities and other essential works.
The resolution passed by Vijay Bhaskar states that, in December 2014, the State Planning Director for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan had issued a circular ordering BBMP to re-constitute SDMCs. The number of parent members in the SDMC was also increased from 13 to 18.
“Of the 24 members in the committee, 18 will be parents. The administrator had asked officials to work in this regard and do it in a month’s time,” a BBMP official said.
BBMP Additional Commissioner (Education) N V Prasad told Express that SDMCs were not adopted effectively all these years.
“On a positive note, during the administrator’s period, the resolution was passed. With parents’ involvement, there will be better coordination between parents and teachers. Schools will be able to deliver quality education to students. We can get feedback that will help us improve schools,” he said. “We have started the process of constituting SDMCs in some schools. They will be ready within a week’s time,” he added.
Another senior officer said he was skeptical about the move as the newly elected councillors might try to hamper the development.