School mgmt panel polls to be held today

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 24

Elections for parent members in school management committees (SMCs) will be held in all the government schools tomorrow.

Parents of children studying in government schools will cast their votes for the candidates of their choice in SMCs tomorrow. The elections are being conducted for the 12 of the 16 positions on the committee reserved for parents. This election is only the second such exercise after the first SMC elections were held in 2015. The two-year term of SMC members had come to an end this year.

Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia said, "Community and parent involvement in keeping government schools accountable, has proved to be the most effective reform in government schools. Parents of children are naturally the most invested stakeholders in the schools and they have successfully used the SMC platform to improve the condition of schools from within. Tomorrow's election will not only elect the new parent representatives in SMCs, but will also cement the culture of community participation in the management of public schools in Delhi."

The Education department has pulled out all the stops to prepare for a smooth election. For the first time, the government has deployed ad hoc DANICS officers and superintendents as observers to ensure free and fair elections in all 1029 schools. Parents have been invited by every school to take part in the voting process. In morning shift schools, parents will be able to vote from 8 AM to 11.30 AM, while in evening shift schools the voting will take place from 1 pm to 4.30 pm, Sisodia said.