Gujarat govt invites public suggestions to strengthen school management committees

Gandhinagar, Aug 19 (IANS) The Gujarat government has announced that citizens can send their suggestions on the functioning of School Management Committees (SMCs) within the next 45 days at smcgujarat@ssguj.in. The initiative aims to make SMCs more effective, transparent, and accountable in ensuring quality education across government primary schools.

Formed under the provisions of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, SMCs are mandatory in every government school to encourage community involvement in school governance. The state education department said suggestions are being sought to update the roles, responsibilities, and duties of these committees in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises the role of parents and local communities in shaping education.

Citizens may give inputs on issues such as reading, writing, co-curricular activities, school health check-ups, cleanliness, examinations, and parent-teacher meetings, as well as the presence of SMC representatives during inspections and school events.

Earlier this year, in April 2025, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Education Minister Kuber Dindor, and Minister of State Praful Panseriya interacted with SMC members via video conference to gather feedback.

Based on suggestions from MLAs, MPs, and SMC members, proposals such as mandatory parent meetings, wider awareness of SMC responsibilities, consensus-based member selection, and inclusion of retired teachers or educationists were discussed for incorporation in the upcoming restructuring.

Gujarat has been among the leading states in implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which seeks to transform India’s education system with a focus on equity, quality, and holistic learning. The state has rolled out reforms such as the 5+3+3+4 school structure, early childhood care under anganwadis, and a strong push for mother-tongue-based foundational learning.

Gujarat has also aligned its curriculum with competency-based education, emphasised skill development and vocational training from school level, and strengthened community participation through School Management Committees (SMCs). At the higher education level, universities are moving towards multidisciplinary courses, academic credit banks, and digital learning initiatives.

--IANS

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