BANGALORE: The Government has empowered gram panchayats to constitute school development and monitoring committees (SDMCs) in all primary, higher primary and high schools run by it. The committees have been given powers to operate school funds and take up construction work. The Education Department took the decision after a public outcry against its order issued on August 7, 2004 empowering MLAs to constitute the committees. Writers U.R. Ananthamurthy and Baraguru Ramachandrappa, Sri Veerabhadra Chanamalla Swamiji Manava Dharma Peeta and a few non-governmental organisations opposed the Government's decision to give powers to MLAs.

On March 17 this year, the department issued a fresh notification directing the amenities committees of gram panchayats to constitute SDMCs for school within their limits.

The committees have been asked to supervise properties, funds and finances of schools; monitor and verify attendance of teachers, non-teaching staff and students; review performance of teachers; ensure enrolment of all children in schools; hold parents' council meetings once in three months; provide infrastructure; implement the midday meal scheme; protect school premises against encroachment, and address grievances of students, parents and teachers.

The SDMC must meet once a month. The maximum term of office for members other than ex-officio members is three years, or it will be co-terminus with the term of the gram panchayat concerned, whichever is earlier. The headmaster of the school, the health worker and the anganwadi teacher will be ex-officio members. Under the Karnataka Panchayat's SDMC Bylaws, 2006, parents have an equal say as the headmaster or other members of the committee in the affairs of the school. The committees have been given powers to take steps to ensure the quality of education. Issues of sexual harassment and child abuse will be dealt with under the bylaws. The president of the committee will be elected by members. In 2000, an Education Task Force headed by late Raja Ramanna recommended the setting up of SDMCs in all schools to replace village education committees and school betterment committees. The Education Department implemented the recommendation with the assistance of the Centre for Child and Law, National Law School of India University, Bangalore. After the constitution of SDMCs in 2001, the Government decided to release funds directly to the committees to enable them to plan and conduct programmes.

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