Odisha: First PTM, SMC and SMDC Meeting of 2023-24 Academic Year to Be Held on April 21 

Bhubaneswar: The first Parent-Teacher Meeting (PTM) and School Management Committee (SMC)/ School Management & Development Committee (SMDC) Meeting of the 2023-24 academic year will be held on April 21 in the schools across Odisha.

The PTM and SMC/ SMDC meeting will be held in all government, government-aided and schools running under SSD Department of the State, informed Anupam Saha, State Project Director, Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) on Wednesday.

The OSEPA State Project Director wrote a letter to DEOs-cum-DPCs, Samagra Shiksha (SS) Odisha, Block Education Officers (BEOs) and HMs of Government, Govt-Aided and SSD Schools, elaborating the agenda of the meeting.

The meeting will be attended by the parents, SMC and SMDC members to discuss various agendas for the holistic development of the schools.

The need for community participation is always indispensable for quality development of school education. In the meeting, a total of 13 agenda items will be discussed for the all-round development of the schools. In the current academic year, the State Government has taken an innovative initiative by providing all the schools with an ‘Academic Calendar’, which is unique in Odisha.

Provision of free textbooks to students, priority of admission and full attendance day, importance of educational awareness drive, ‘summer vacation homework’ for children’s learning growth, awareness programs on basic literacy and numeracy and ‘Odisha Brings Excellence in Education’ etc. will be specially discussed.

Besides, discussions will also be held on misconceptions about online safety in the contemporary situation, its truth and ways to solve it, and cyber awareness for parents. The relevant information in this regard has been prepared with the help of State UNICEF Office and Cyber Crime Unit, CID, Crime Branch and Police Department.

At the meeting, the parents will be made aware that reservation of 15% seats for students studying in government and government aided schools of the State for enrollment in medical and professional education. School transformation has brought about a revolutionary change in the field of education. Through the Chief Minister’s Award for Education scheme, programs have been undertaken to reward teachers, education officers, old students’ organizations, school management committees and gram panchayats who are playing a major role in the development of education. Recruitment of teachers in various schools, provision of free bicycles and provision of school uniforms etc. will also be discussed in detail.