Stakeholders cry foul over govt’s move mandating adoption of schools by MLAs

Belagavi: On the one hand, the state government’s directive to its 224 MLAs, asking each of them to adopt three government schools in their jurisdiction may, on paper, appear to be a move aimed at improving the lot of these neglected institutions, but stakeholders fear that this may lead to undue political interference in the functioning of schools.
The order is in keeping with chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s proposal in his budget. The rationale behind the proposal was to ensure allocation of money from the local area development (LAD) funds that each MLA is entitled to. This would effectively mean that 672 schools would be funded and supervised by legislators.
Education policy expert Niranjanaradhya VP, who was instrumental in the formation of School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMCs) in the state, said that the order violated Sections nine, 21 and 22 of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. “Section of RTE empowers local authorities to administer the schools, while Section 21 stipulates that parents constitute a majority of the SDMC, and Section 22 enjoins on the management of schools to design and seek approval for a development plan from the local administrative bodies,” Niranjanaradhya said.
Questioning the need for the new system when there was a properly functional set-up, one that was constitutionally valid, Niranjanaradhya said, “Bringing in MLAs to run schools will dismantle the existing decentralised structure, wherein SDMC plays a vital role. SDMC is a legitimate body, and there is a clear framework that allows for government to provide funds to the schools through the gram panchayat. With MLAs at the helm, the SDMC will be run by their followers, contracts for development of schools given to their patrons. This will undercut the role of both the local administration and the school management.”
Syed Hafizullah, a North Karnataka activist, feared that the CM’s order may well herald the beginning of the end of the existing set-up. “It is three schools now, but it can quickly become the norm. Role of the legislators must be limited to monitoring the implementation of government policies,” Hafizullah said.
An official in the education department admitted that the move would result in the dilution of the powers of the SDMCs, while members of the respective gram panchayat too would lose their say in the management of local educational institutions. “This may lead to MLAs appointing their handpicked members to SDMCs in all the schools, which will effectively signal the end of the RTE,” he added.