The civic authorities of Kochi are not enthused by the recent government order, which says that the local bodies could get involved in the curriculum activities in schools in their region.
The directive was issued while listing out the activity maps for local bodies for educational institutions in their region.
Invoking the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, the General Education Department had listed out the 13 functions to be performed by the local authorities, which are “critical to the implementation of the Act.” The local authorities under the Act includes the authorities and bodies having administrative control over the school or empowered by or under any law to function as a local authority, according to the government order.
The Act empowers local authorities to ensure along with the teachers and school management committee or parent teachers association an equal participation in all curricular and extra curricular activities through constant monitoring and review meetings.
The local authorities have also been asked to ensure that all children in their respective areas are enrolled in schools. The authorities should also “supervise and monitor the status of out of school children and migrant children within their jurisdiction and see that the children with special needs and those belonging to SC/ST and from weaker sections and girl students are treated equally.”
The State General Education Department has issued orders to the local bodies in this regard.
Responding to the developments, Kochi Mayor Tony Chammany said he was not in favour of local authorities getting involved in the curricular activities of schools.
Mr. Chammany suggested that the local authorities should restrict themselves to improving the infrastructure facilities of schools and leave the curricular activities to educational experts. It won’t be proper for the civic authorities to get themselves involved in the academic affairs of schools, he said.
There are 136 schools in the Kochi Corporation limit including the 36 government schools and two nursery schools.
R. Thyagarajan, chairperson of the Education Standing Committee of the Kochi Corporation, said the local body had been spending from its pocket for improving the facilities of schools including laboratory facilities. Kochi Corporation had been supporting the schools for setting up biogas plants, smart classes and repairing and renovating school buildings. Barring the painting of school buildings, the local body had been helping schools to improve its facilities, he said.
