Parents to have say in HP school affairs

The committees with a two-tier set-up will have a major role in taking decisions for schools,overseeing performance of teachers and also the utilisation of funds for expansions and creating new facilities for students.

The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on Thursday.

Education Minister Ishwar Dass Dhiman said: “We are making the new system absolutely free from government’s interference and also empowering local residents whose wards are in primary and elementary classes to run the school affairs and make qualitative changes there.”

The school management committees will also have representatives of panchayats,and powers to oppose transfer of teachers if they are doing a satisfactory job or reprimand those not doing their duties efficiently. “The system of running schools will witness a sea change and may prove to be beneficial for students,” said Srikand Baldi,Principal Secretary (Education).

The changes proposed,he said,were also envisaged under the Free and Compulsory Education Act-2009 to achieve objectives of compulsory education,including ‘universalisation of elementary education’ under the National Education Policy.

More decisions

* Nod to a nursing college in Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital

* All posts of trained graduate teachers in arts,non-medical,drawing masters,oriental teachers to be filled on regular basis

* Extension of monetary benefit to the BAR Awardees of Distinguished Services Awards at par with the BAR Awardees of Gallantry Awards of the Armed Forces

* 10 new light motor vehicles to be purchased for police stations and sub-divisional police offices and six medium motor vehicles for quick response teams,besides and 20 motorcycles and fire tenders for police and fire departments

* The Cabinet rejected the proposals to open two private universities — Abhishi Educational Society,Ner Chawk (Mandi),and K C Social Welfare Trust,Nawanshahr — and instead granted them approval to set up technical colleges with affiliation to HP Technical University

* Nod to regularisation of contractual junior engineer of panchayat samitis who have completed eight years of service in respective zila parishads