Assessing the effectiveness of school management committees (SMCs) in improving governance of primary schools in Bangladesh: a case study of selective SMCs at Gouripur Upazila in Mymensingh district

Abstract

School Management Committee (SMC) plays an important role by engaging local people in the educational and development activities of primary schools. Thus it is a bridge between the school and the local community. The SMC also plays vital role in the school as both leaders and decision makers. Improving the performance or increasing the effectiveness of SMC is inevitable for strengthening primary school governance. Considering the effectiveness of the SMC, the objectives of this study are to assess the role of SMCs in improving governance of primary schools in Bangladesh. The study was conducted in six SMCs in Goripur Upazila under Mymensingh district. Only Government primary school and recently nationalized non-government-registered primary schools were considered. The study indicates that though the SMCs of primary schools have a high potential of improving governance of primary schools in Bangladesh, the SMCs in rural areas are not functioning well. Two thirds of SMC members did not receive training on their roles and responsibilities. Most of the SMC members are not well aware of their roles and responsibilities. Most of the SMC members basically guardians members and education patron members in the rural areas didn’t complete SSC. Community participation in the form of donation in the schools located in municipality areas are satisfactory but local donations in the rural areas school are insignificant. The findings of the study reveal that SMC members do not visit home of drop out or irregular students to address their problems. All surveyed schools have formed Student Councils, Student Brigade Teams and Child Physician Teams but their activities are not satisfactory. Cub Scouting activities also are not satisfactory. No Corruption link was found among the SMC members in the admission and textbook distribution process. Female head teacher as a Member secretary of SMC plays vital role in ensuring regular SMC meeting and SMC member’s attendance, arranging PTA (Parents Teachers Association) and mother assembly. Female teacher headed schools have made well in PSC (primary school completion) Examination. At present, there is no separate evaluation method to evaluate the performance of SMC. In order to invigorate the SMC, provision for separate evaluation method should be made. Punishment and incentive should be applied for poor and good performance of SMC respectively. Frequent visit and inspection by education officers to primary schools in remote area should be undertaken for increasing the effectiveness of SMCs.