Community Participation in School Educat
Community Participation in School Educat
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
Abstract: Kothari commission (1964-66) focused on need of decentralization of school education and involvement of parents and local
bodies in the processes of improvement of school. . NPE 1986 emphasised primarily on decentralized planning and management of
Primary education. A report (1992) was submitted by Veerappa Moily to the government of India on decentralization of educational
planning ensuring greater community participation in education. National Curriculum Framework (2005) also emphasized to
encourage community participation as a means of enhancing quality education. There is a provision to constitute school management
committees in RTE act 2009. This paper focuses on policy and practices of community participation in the school education after
independence in India. It also focuses on international scenario of community participation in the school education. It also identifies
some problems for proper functioning of school committees. Suggestions are given to improvement of proper function of school
committees.
Ninth five year plan says that it is equally necessary that the Japanese schools provide great involvement of parents in the
problem of universal elementary education and literacy is school. It provides information about school norms and
tackled through a strong social movement with clearly policies, children‟s work. Japanese school also provide
perceived goals and involving the State and Central parental participate as volunteers. For example, parents
Governments, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Urban Local gather for cooking classes, recycling activitiesand story
Bodies, voluntary agencies, social action groups, the media tellers. Schools in Japan also provide seminars for parents to
and every supportive element in society. The tenthfive-year improve their own efficacy in educating and rearing their
plan also emphasized to the involvement of the community children. In elementary school, parents are provided to
and it will be made more systematic by involving the attend skills training on various areas such as ironing,
panchayat raj institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies. sewing, cooling, reading etc. it also provide a seminar on
VECs, Mother-Teacher Associations (MTA) and Parent- proper use of mobile phones and the internet etc. it makes
Teacher Associations (PTA) would have a formal role in the parents be aware of how such technologies can negatively
management of schools in the village. Twelfth five year plan affect their children. Parents play a pivotal role in parent-
also emphasis involvement of parents in the school teacher associations as decision makers in Japanese schools.
management to bring quality education. Effective Parents have more power than teachers to make decisions
functioning of SMCs and Parent Teacher Associations about the affairs of the association. Parents are initiated PTA
(PTAs) is essential for quality education in the school. activities and not by the teachers. Parents have also decided
Volume 10 Issue 1, January 2021
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR201224191731 DOI: 10.21275/SR201224191731 1247
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
the disbursements of funds. PTA meeting is also called by In Austria, since the 1980s a schools autonomy scheme was
PTA officers from various schools to discuss matters which introduced school management. The main role of this
are needed to school children. Apart from those types, there scheme was to enhance the involvement parents. A board is
are two other important roles of parents as partners of constituted by a representative of parents and students in
teachers and other parents. There are open and available each class by voting. Since 2000, boards and other
communication channels between teachers and parents in the community representatives control the management of
Japanese school. Teacher visit to his/her students‟ homes to schools.
talk with the parents about school concerns, child‟s talents
and abilities, and child's safety. The teacher also uses In Brazil, the school board has the authority and
another communication channel to convey messages to responsibility of school management under the decentralized
parents about school events and student‟s performance. The framework of education. At present, the principal has not
other role of parents is partners of other parents. It is used to authority utilizing the resources of school without the
convey information to parents regarding school-related approval of the board. The teachers, students, and parents
matters over the phone. Schools are also provided a are the members of the school board. Involvement of the
network-type directory to parents containing children‟s community in school management more significant to
names, their corresponding contact numbers, and increasing enrolment, retention of the children.
chain/order of communication. There is also children
association which is a community-based group consisting of In Nepal, new provision for the SMC in the 7 thAmendment
school children and parents. It is another platform where has wide implication in the implementation of educational
parents can interact and exchange ideas pertaining to their programs and plans for enhancement of quality education.
children's education. Children associations are also involved The School Management Committee have a significant
garbage recycling and camping activities organizing by involvement in improving the management efficiency,
parents. efficiency related to planning, monitoring, supervision, and
evaluation of the schools. There is a legal process for
Tanka Nath Sharma (2008) reviewed international practices electing four representatives from guardians or parents
of community participation in school education. Based on including one female member in the management
this reviewed community participation of some countries are committee. Nepal has another community involvement
presented in the following section. which is Parent Teacher Association (PTA). The main role
of PTA is to strengthen the quality of teaching learning,
In Denmark, Parents have played a huge role in running of advice, the school about fees structure and communicate the
schools. In 1990, Boards of school governors was created parent and community about the educational programs of the
for the role of parents which is to strengthen decision school.
making in the school governance. Five – seven members are
in each board among parents, including two members from According to Nancy Kendall (2007), a number of state of
school and two from students. The boards are responsible South Africa (Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda) has
for developing guidelines for school‟s activities, approving adopted fee-free or fee-reduced basic education. A wider
the school budget and making the curriculum. Danish group of stakeholders, including sub-national government
parents are very responsible for their children‟s schooling. personnel, teachers, and principals, parents, and occasionally
students are involved in the construction of frameworks for
In England, the governance of schooling provided power or improvement of quality education. Parental and community
greater autonomy of decision-making by schools. 9-20 involvement in schools has been affected quality in a
members are in governing body in each school which are number of ways such as providing an oversight of school
elected by parents and staff members and governing body budgeting and teacher attendance and performance;
nominated additional community governors. The main role managing student attendance and homework; providing
of the board of governors are to provide direction for school resources (labour, money, etc.) for school building, teacher
governance, ensure accountability, participate in decision- hiring, and other school infrastructure and services; and
making, control of the school budget for purchase of books, advocating at local and national levels for changes that may
equipment, stationary and other goods and service. The improve educational access, retention, and completion.
governing boards also play a core role for new appointments
of teachers and, staff member. According to D. T. Gamage (1993), In USA, Annual
Conference of State Governors, education reform was made
In Finland, New Basic Education Act of 1999 provides a in 1986. Two broad strategies were emerged, school site-
significant role of co-operation of parents for school based governance and choice. Site-based management was a
education development. Schools haveright to design their plan for improving schools governance. It proposed two key
own curricula based on the National Framework of Core strategies for achieving this goal. a) The transfer of power to
Curriculum with the help of parent-teacher meetings, make decisions regarding budget, staffing, and instruction,
parents‟ meetings, discussion events and one-to-one from the central/regional offices to the individual schools. b)
discussions between individual teachers and parents. Participation of all stakeholders such as administrators and
staff, teachers, parents, and the local community in decision-
In Span, there are two parents association: Spanish making at the individual school level. Different strategies
Confederation of Parent Associations (CEAPA) and were adopted by each state to improving the education
National Catholic Confederation of Parents (CONCAPA) system. The Education Improvement Act enacted by South
which take part in the management of schools. Carolina in 1984, the following had seven main components
Volume 10 Issue 1, January 2021
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR201224191731 DOI: 10.21275/SR201224191731 1248
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
which affect the operation of schools. i) raising student their own resources for the school. Special efforts are made
performance by improving academic standards; ii) by PTA and teachers to enrol all children with special focus
strengthening the teaching and testing of basic skills; iii) on gender equity and promotion of education of the girl
elevating the teaching profession by strengthening the child include all migrant children–most of them from Orissa
training, evaluation, and compensation of teachers; iv) and Bihar.All HMs under that Panchayat are apresented
improving the leader- ship, management, and fiscal report of PEC in monthly or bimonthly meetings which is
efficiency of schools at all levels; v) implementing strict chaired by Sarpanch.
quality controls and rewarding productivity; vi) creating
more effective partnerships among schools, parents, In Bihar, Bihar Vidyalaya Shiksha Act of 2000 provides for
communities, and business people; and vii) providing school the election of Vidyalaya Shiksha Samiti. VSS roles are for
buildings conducive to student learning. In Chicago, supervision of civil works, oversee financial transaction,
comprehensive legislation introduced decentralisation from organise campaigns to enrol out of school children and girls,
1990 for governance of the school. Each school should be ensure that they are retained.But VSS are not involved in
governed by an elected council consisting of eight any academic matters of inside the classroom.
representatives of the parents and community, two teachers
with the principal as an ex-officio member. Each council is In Karnataka, Village Education Committees have been
authorised to appoint the principal on a four-year contract, formed through a special government order 2001. The
allocate budgetary resources, and prepare long-term plans Chairman of VEC is from the elected Panchayat. The
for school improvement. The principal is entitled to appoint government introduced the Namma Shale (My School–a
teachers on merits. School-community connect programme) in 2007 which run
in four clusters in four districts. This programme has7
Community participation in the school education is not a important stakeholders-teachers, parents, children, SDMC
new term in the developed country. It has been initiated to members, CBO members, GPs and government education
achieve the goal of decentralization of education in the department. All are involved in all the school development
1980s. It has been also initiated in the many developing issues from monitoring to capacity building.
countries to bring the quality education. It has a great impact
to bring quality education. Many developed and developing Nagaland Government had brought an enactment Nagaland
countries have been made policy and Act for education Institution and Services rule 2002, on 15 April
decentralization of education. 2002 for communitisation of elementary education. The
VEC has certain administrative, academic and financial
Initiatives by states for community participation power and function to manage elementary education in the
In Rajasthan, Shiksha Karmi project and Lok Jumbish village. The VEC has the administrative functions to
project, these two projects are externally aided projects for disbursing salaries and granting casual leave to teachers and
basic education for universalization of education with a the staff of the school, procure furniture, stationery, etc. and
quality education in the remote and socially backward select/recommend the appointment of substitute teachers
villages with a special emphasis on community participation against long term vacancy. The academic functions of the
in these project. Shiksha Karmi Project of Rajasthan was VEC include to ensuring universal enrolment and retention
initiated in 1987. The village communities (VECs) have a of all children aged 6-14 years, implementing annual plans
great contribution to the improvement of the school and programmes of the government, and ensuring free
environment, infrastructure and facilities, enrolment of textbooks reach the children and the mid-day meal is well
children through school mapping and micro-planning in the managed.
Shiksha Karmi School. The project covers 2,708 villages in
147 blocks spread over 31 districts (10th planning In Madhya Pradesh, Jana Shikshan Adhiniyam promotes
commission report). decentralisation of school education. The Jana Shikshan
Adhiniyam (JSA) act provides for PTA and Teachers
Lok Jumbish was launched in 1992 by GOI and GOR with Association which has a responsibility to ensure enrolment
support from Sida. Lok jumbish project has been set up for of all children, monitor regular attendance of teachers,
innovative management structures on the principal of mobilise local resource persons for teaching, monitor
decentralization. It aims is to build apartnership with local ongoing learning of children and organise remedial
communities and the voluntary sector to improve quality education and mobilise resources for small requirements at
education. It has a positive contribution to thedevelopment the school level. Inclusiveness is promoted through
of improving MLL based textbooks for class I-IV.It has community member.
conducted school mapping in 8,921 villages, opened 2,560
Sahaj Shiksha Centres covering 47,000 children and started In Gujarat, VEC and Ward Education Committee was
529 new primary schools and 268 upper primary schools, enacted in 1996 and approved in approved by the legislature
239 pre-school centres of anganwadis and formed over in 2003. There is also a different level of decentralised
7,600 Mahila Groups. (10th planning commission report). structures–District, Taluka, and Village. District Panchayat
has a vest to recruit primary school teachers through a staff
Decentralisation process was initiated under the Kerala selection committee. The funds for Meena Manch,
Panchayat Act Amendment 1999.Members of PEC are Residential Alternative Schools, payment of Bal Mitra
Panchayat Education Committees and Ward members. The salaries, Civil Works, Disbursement of teacher and school
schoolplan is developed by the PEC and all the funds are grant and IED grant for CWSN have now been transferred to
routed through the Panchayat and some of the Panchayat use the village level or the school level.
Volume 10 Issue 1, January 2021
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR201224191731 DOI: 10.21275/SR201224191731 1249
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
In 2008, the Government of Tamil Nadu had made the roles Information System (SEMIS), implementation, monitoring,
and responsibilities of the Village Education Committees. evaluation and taking corrective/remedial actions on all the
Local bodies/school committees also look after the components/interventions of the scheme- infrastructural as
maintenance of school buildings. well as academic and others, at the school level. The
committee maintain all the relevant records for recurring as
Andhra Pradesh, Academic Monitoring Committees have well as non-recurring expenditure. These records are
been created under RTE act 2009. They are involved to updated on regular basis and placed before the committee in
monitor the quality of education such as teacher absence, every meeting. These records and progress on each
teachers have to take permission of AMC to take leave, civil component/ interventions of the scheme are also placed in
works, and other infrastructure and student progress. the meetings of Panchayat / Urban Local Bodies.
Time to time, about all states have initiated community The School Management and Development Committee is
participation in the school education. Accordingly, they have assisted by two sub committees, School Building Committee
made policy and plan for the community participation in the and Academic Committee, headed by the Principal and Vice
school and it has positive impact on the education system. Principal respectively.
Current status in community participation in school The School Building Committee is responsible for all the
education activities including planning, estimation, management,
School level committees have been created in all most states monitoring, supervision, reporting, maintenance of
under SSA programme. They are known as different name Accounts, monthly squaring up of accounts, presenting
village education committee, school management accounts before the School Management Committee or
committee, school development and management Panchayat or Urban Local Bodies etc. relating to
committee, parent-teacher association, academic monitoring, construction, renovation, repairing and maintenance and
teacher association etc. In force of Right to Education Act other related civil works.
2009, School Management Committee (SMC) have been
created by states to achieve the goal of decentralization of The Academic Committee is responsible for all academic
education. activities including planning, management, monitoring,
supervision, reporting, and collection of data for SEMIS etc.
At Primary Level: The Academic Committee is responsible for ensuring quality
All government, government aided and special category improvements, equity, reducing barriers- like socio-
schools shall have to constitute economic, gender and disability, teachers and students
attendance, recommending teachers for training, guidance,
SMCs as per Section 21 of the RTE Act. Since private and counselling, students achievements, co-curricular and
schools are already mandated to have management extra-curricular activities and overall academic and
committees on the basis of their trust/society registrations. It personality development of students and teachers.
is a permanent body, the president and members shall have a
term of three years. Key function of SMCs are Parent teacher association and mother teacher association
Making School Development Plan (SDP) as per the RTE have co-existed with SMCs and SMDCs at both primary and
guidelines/norms secondary level. The role of PTA is to conduct meeting at
Management of school least one day in a month and present before SMCs and
Supervising and supporting implementation of SDP SMDCs to register complain and give a suggestion for the
Supervision/monitoring of finance, management, proper functioning of the school. All states have been
academic progress, distribution of entitlements & other created their own guideline for SMC, SMDC.
functions
Ensuring accountability and transparency in the system Problems in community participation in school
through the social audit mechanism education
Keeping proper accounts of the fund available and sharing According to recent research reviews, following problems
its deployment and utilization with the „Aam Sabha‟ are found in community participation in school education
Creating and maintaining an educational database
Problem-Related to SMC Meeting
Coordinating with the local authority, generating funds
Lack of co-ordination of teachers and parents. Teachers
from other sources for development of schools
fail to communicate timings of the meetings and parents
Monitoring academic progress of the children
fail to attend. They also found that barriers for the
Instituting social audit mechanism and processes to bring
functioning of SMC such as Cultural Barriers,
transparency in the system and ensure universal
Corruption, Political Pressure, communication. (Shilpi
participation
Sharma, et al. 2014)
The low percentage of meetings were organised at the
At Secondary Level
cluster level For SMC member. (Panda B. N. 2014).
RMSA framework provides that every secondary school
have to construct a school management and development
Problem-Related to Awareness
committee (SMDC) at the school level. This committee is
Lack of awareness among SMC about RTE 2009
responsible for all the activities including, planning, a
(Mozhiyarasi K.S. 2016).
collection of data under Education Monitoring and