JOIN USAt the meeting organised by CIVIC, an NGO, members of SDMCs in Bangalore, who wanted concrete solutions from officers present, received empty assurances.
On Friday, the SDMC members narrated the problems in handling the finances of government schools. Each government school has an SDMC with 11 members including parents and children associated with the particular school. School authorities take advantage of the members’ illiteracy by making them sign on blank cheques, said Manjunath, SDMC President, Triveni Nagar Government higher primary school, KR Puram, a view supported by other SDMC members.
DDPI Prakash replied that such issues could be referred to the block education officer for relief. “Give a complaint in writing and we will take appropriate action,” he said. But what if the school authorities retaliate by taking out the anger on our children, Manjunath and others asked. “File a written complaint to the Child Rights Commission for relief,” was the response from the panel.