CHENNAI: After a gap of two months, the School Management Committee (SMCs) meetings of the government schools were convened across the state on Friday. Several resolutions, including prevention of use of tobacco products among children, were passed in the meetings.
Recently, the school education department issued two G.O.s stressing on the importance of SMCs. Even though the G.Os stresses on the importance of SMCs in the functioning of the school by providing them with more powers, the department had also earlier given oral orders to conduct SMC meetings once in three months based on the request from the teachers’ associations.
One of the main resolutions passed during the meetings in high and higher secondary schools was to prevent the abuse of banned tobacco products in schools. If many schools in a locality raise the problem of availability of banned tobacco products, it will reach the district collector and subsequently the chief secretary. If they instruct the police to act and curb the menace, there could be a solution for the problem, said an official from the school education department.
The other resolutions sugget parents and teachers to involve in cleaning of schools from January 8 to 10, carrying out higher education guidance programme for higher secondary students and preventing dropouts.
According to sources, the department has also sent teachers to Kerala to see how the school management committees function there. While teachers say it is difficult to bring parents to meetings, the process is simplified in Kerala where the meetings are conducted even in houses, he added.
Meanwhile, it is unsure if the SMC meetings would be conducted every month or once in three months.
“As per the RTE Act, the meeting has to be conducted every month. While there may be some hiccups in the beginning, conducting meetings regularly will solve issues gradually. We are conducting a signature campaign among parents to ensure that meetings are held every month,” said Thenkanal, state organiser of Palli Kalvi Paadhukaapu Iyakkam.