New Delhi, May 6: The Union Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, unveiled new guidelines for School Management Committees (SMCs) on Wednesday in New Delhi. These guidelines aim to strengthen community involvement in schools across the country and make school management more effective and accountable.
The SMCs will play a crucial role in school management, including the preparation of development plans and monitoring academic quality. The committees will also ensure financial management and social auditing.
The new guidelines emphasize the coordinated use of resources through various programs, regular meetings, and a transparent decision-making process. States and Union Territories have been directed to establish SMCs in all schools up to Class 12.
The SMC will replace the existing School Management Development Committees. The structure of the committee will ensure representation from various groups within the school management committee.
According to the Ministry of Education, the SMC will include parents, representatives from local authorities, teachers, educators, subject experts, alumni, representatives from marginalized groups, and Anganwadi workers. The principal of the school will serve as the member-secretary of the committee. The number of members will be determined based on student enrollment: schools with up to 100 students will have 12 to 15 SMC members; those with 100 to 500 students will have 15 to 20 members; and schools with over 500 students will have 20 to 25 members.
The Ministry has established criteria for selecting these members. A minimum of 75% of the SMC members must be parents, while the remaining 25% will be chosen from other categories. One-third will be elected members from local bodies, and one-third will be teachers from the school.
The member-secretary of the SMC will have several key responsibilities, including ensuring the formation of the committee within one month of the academic year and organizing an annual general meeting to conduct elections among parents. It is also essential to ensure at least 50% attendance of parents during the elections. The guidelines emphasize capacity building, training, financial transparency, and social accountability.
The Ministry believes these measures will enhance the quality of education in schools. The government is optimistic that the new guidelines will increase public participation in school management and strengthen the local decision-making process, thereby empowering the education system further.
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