The present study explores the role of the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) in primary government schools in Bangalore South District, Karnataka. This study compares a minority school with two Kannada medium governments’ schools to note how functional SDMCs are, the level of awareness among the SDMC members, and the rules and regulations of the SDMC.
The Government of India and the State Governments, since independence, made education as an important tool to bring about socio-economic development in the country. There has been a lot of growth in the educational system. However, the outcomes in terms of enrolment, retention and quality of education have not made huge progress over the last five decades.
The intention of making elementary education universal in the country and improving its quality remains a challenge. India has the highest number of illiterate populations as compared to other countries. There have been studies which tell that in order to improve the overall development of the schools; we need to encourage community participation. For effective functioning of the school, community participation in terms of parent-teacher-student interaction is a need of the hour.
A decentralized approach in education is the most effective outcome to improve the quality of education. The task force report by Raja Ramanna Committee on quality improvement on elementary education introduced the importance of community participation and management for guaranteeing quality education and encouraging community participation through legislation by establishing SDMC.
Karnataka was the first state in adopting SDMC. In 2001, the Government of Karnataka ordered that all the schools should have SDMC as a mandatory body by replacing VEC to bring a "qualitative change" in the educational system and to encourage the role of community in school education. The SDMC circulars describing the composition, objectives duties, responsibilities and procedures promulgated to all the schools. Every school in Karnataka has now equipped with SDMC.
Table of Contents
Chapter I – Introduction
Chapter II - Review of Literature
Chapter III- Research Design
Chapter IV- Data Analysis
Chapter V- Results and Discussions
Chapter VI- Conclusion
Ontological Framework of SDMC in Primary Government School in Urban Bangalore South District, Karnataka
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to examine the role and functional effectiveness of School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMCs) within primary government schools in the Urban Bangalore District, specifically focusing on member awareness, adherence to formal rules, and comparative performance across diverse school types.
- The operational structure and formation processes of SDMCs in urban government schools.
- The extent of awareness among SDMC members regarding their mandated roles and responsibilities.
- Comparative analysis of SDMC functionality in minority versus Kannada-medium schools.
- The influence of SDMC participation on school quality, enrolment, and student retention.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2 Significance of the Study
Community participation in administrating schools in order to guarantee improvement in quality of education, reducing absenteeism and drop outs was the main agenda under the NPE (1986). The revised version of NPE (1992) stressed upon Community Participation in educational planning and management. It is necessary to understand the need of community participation, the way it functions, the techniques used and the expectations that we have from this process. The Government of Karnataka has taken a step in building School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) across the state to build community participation. The SDMC framework in Karnataka is a law since 14th June, 2006 under Karnataka Panchayati Raj Amendment of 1991. In this context an exploratory study to know SDMC is prevalent in Bangalore.
The 73rd and 74th Panchayati Raj System Amendment Act of the Constitution established Village Education Committee (VEC) in all the elementary schools in every village. The objective of VEC is to enhance the standard of education. The idea of establishing SDMC to increase community participation was given by the then State Education Minister in Karnataka Mr. H. Viswanath who encouraged community participation in the process of school education in 1999.
Task Force on Education was appointed by the State Government of Karnataka in 2000 where a report was submitted to build SDMC. The VEC was then replaced by School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) in 2001 by the Government of Karnataka to revitalize the aspect of community in administration and school education in the State. SDMC comes under Panchayati Raj System in Karnataka.
SDMC is a sub-committee of Civic Amenities Committee (CAC- a sub-committee of Gram Panchayat). There are 3-5 members of the Gram Panchayat and SDMC members who work as a part of a particular Gram Panchayat.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter I – Introduction: This chapter provides the background on educational decentralization policies in India and outlines the significance, objectives, and problem statement of the study regarding SDMCs.
Chapter II - Review of Literature: This section examines existing research on education policies, the status of minority and urban education in Karnataka, and previous evaluations of community participation mechanisms.
Chapter III- Research Design: This chapter details the methodology, sampling procedure of three selected schools in Bangalore South, and the tools (interviews and FGDs) utilized for data collection.
Chapter IV- Data Analysis: This chapter presents the empirical findings gathered from the field, organized into three case studies, covering composition, prescribed formation processes, and powers of the SDMCs.
Chapter V- Results and Discussions: This section provides a comparative analysis of the findings across the three schools, highlighting identified constraints in policy implementation and observed strengths in community engagement.
Chapter VI- Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the study's findings, offers policy recommendations for improving SDMC efficacy, and presents an ontological framework for exploring committee functioning.
Ontological Framework of SDMC in Primary Government School in Urban Bangalore South District, Karnataka: This section introduces a structured model to map the components of SDMC functioning, including actors, functions, entities, and outcomes.
Keywords
School Development and Monitoring Committee, Community Participation, Right to Education, Primary Education, Karnataka, Decentralization, School Management, Governance, Education Policy, Urban Education, Minority Schools, Student Enrolment, Teacher Accountability, Awareness, Educational Reform
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research explores the functioning of School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMCs) in primary government schools within the Urban Bangalore District, assessing their role in enhancing school quality and community participation.
What are the primary themes examined?
Key themes include the structural composition of SDMCs, the level of member awareness regarding their roles, the impact of decentralized management, and the comparative functionality of these committees in different social contexts.
What is the central objective?
The study aims to investigate the formation processes of SDMCs and evaluate how aware the members are of their mandated powers and responsibilities in managing primary government schools.
Which methodology was applied?
The study utilizes an exploratory research design, employing qualitative tools such as semi-structured interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with key stakeholders including parents, teachers, and school heads.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body includes a thorough literature review, a detailed research design, individual case studies of three government primary schools, and a comparative analysis of their adherence to SDMC regulations.
Which keywords define this study?
Primary keywords include School Development and Monitoring Committee, Community Participation, Decentralization, Right to Education, and Bangalore urban education.
How do minority schools differ in SDMC implementation according to the study?
The study highlights specific challenges in minority schools, such as the case in Kengeri, where leadership was found to be held by a religious figure (a maulana) rather than a parent as prescribed by government rules.
What is the primary conclusion regarding SDMC effectiveness?
The study concludes that while SDMCs exist as mandatory bodies, their effectiveness is severely hindered by a widespread lack of awareness among members regarding their roles, inadequate training, and insufficient funding.
What policy improvements are suggested by the researcher?
Suggestions include regular monthly meetings with set agendas, the implementation of transparency boards in schools, clearer election guidelines from the Block Education Officer, and increased financial support to meet school development needs.
- Citation du texte
- Mishti Mukherjee (Auteur), 2019, School Development and Monitoring in Primary Government Schools in Urban Bangalore District, Karnataka, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/463888
