The Hindu : Front Page : LSGIs to play larger role in education

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Saturday, Oct 13, 2007
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LSGIs to play larger role in education

N.J. Nair

For better social control and improved quality of education

Panel to suggest amendments to Kerala Education Act and Rules
Local Self-Govenment Institutions to have
no say in academic matters

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The committee designated for revising the Kerala Education Act and Rules (KEAR) is expected to reinterpret the role of local self-government institutions (LSGIs) in ensuring meaningful intervention aimed at better social control and improved quality of education.

The government has directed the panel headed by the former Chief Secretary C.P. Nair to suggest amendments to KEAR for lateral linkages of schools with LSGIs.

This is being done with a view to increasing social accountability of schools and ensuring effective participation of LSGIs in the education sector. But the Education Department will have the last word on decisions of the LSGIs, sources said. Following the 73rd amendment to the Constitution, education, including primary and secondary schools, has been entrusted with the LSGIs.

This was included in the Panchayati Raj Act that came into force in the State in 1994 during the tenure of the UDF Government headed by K. Karunakaran.

No serious follow-up

Though this was specified in the subsequent order issued on September 18, 1995, there was no serious follow-up action to assign a significant role to the civic bodies in the education sector. It is in this background that the Government has directed the panel to fix the maximum limit for involving civic bodies in improving the educational milieu of the State. Though the funds for maintaining the infrastructure of schools are under the control of LSGIs, they do not have a significant role in their function as delegated by the Constitution.

But the government has specified that the LSGIs will have no say in the academic matters.

As a preliminary step for enhancing their role, the committee has been told to formulate modalities for establishing as well as granting recognition for schools, including unaided schools, in their locale.

Accountability

This is also expected to help increase the social accountability of the schools and end the mushrooming of unaided schools that function without adequate facilities and often in blatant violation of the norms set by the government.

The panel will recommend a procedure for involving LSGIs in sanctioning new schools.

With a view to addressing the complaints of civic chiefs and elected members about the alleged resistance from government officials against complying with their demands, the committee has been told to suggest effective provisions for better coordination of the Education Department with the local bodies. Though the school dropout rate is not so alarming in the State, the panel will look into the reasons for non-enrolment and of children from hamlets and settlements with a predominant fisherfolk, tribal and Dalit population, dropping out. The panel has been told to work out suggestions by involving the LSGIs in each locality.

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