Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Abhibhabak Mahasangha (OAM) Saturday urged the Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) to review its recently issued guidelines for the constitution of School Management Committees (SMCs), objecting to the fixed inclusion of Anganwadi Workers, ASHA Karmis and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) as members.
In a memorandum submitted to the OSEPA director, the federation said it supports the participation of frontline workers in school management but opposes granting permanent or ex officio status exclusively to these categories. The federation claimed that the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and the Ministry of Education’s SMC guidelines provide that 75 per cent of committee members should be parents or guardians, with at least half of them being women.
The remaining 25 per cent, it said, may include local authority representatives, teachers, educationists, subject experts, academicians, alumni, senior students and frontline workers, to be nominated by parent representatives based on local requirements.
OAM alleged that the present guidelines overlook other eligible stakeholders by giving fixed status only to Anganwadi Workers, ASHAs and ANMs, thereby diluting the parent-led character of SMCs envisaged under the RTE framework.
The federation urged OSEPA to clarify the guidelines, ensure the mandatory parent representation is maintained, allow parents to nominate members from all eligible categories, and hold consultations with parent associations before finalising any revisions.