Tue Mar 18 16:02:42 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu Schools Ordered to Hold PTA Meeting on Student Safety, Sparking Concerns
**Chennai, March 18, 2025** – The Tamil Nadu School Education Department has mandated a parent-teacher association (PTA) meeting on March 26th to address student safety in government schools. However, the directive has drawn criticism from teachers and parents who argue that the School Management Committee (SMC), a legally mandated body, has been neglected.
The PTA meeting will cover the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO), safety awareness campaigns, helpline numbers, and identifying behavioral changes in students. The formation of an internal complaints committee for women teachers’ safety will also be discussed.
Teachers express concern that the SMC, composed primarily of parents and required to meet regularly under the Right to Education Act, 2011, has not convened since October 2024. While the department’s circular emphasizes the PTA meeting, teachers argue the SMC should take precedence due to its legal standing and active role in school governance. Newly formed SMCs have only met once since the start of the academic year in June 2024, despite a government order advising monthly meetings.
While some schools, such as one in Mogappair, have maintained regular monthly SMC meetings, others report a complete lack of engagement. One SMC member highlighted the lack of communication and platform for raising concerns, questioning the committee’s purpose if meetings aren’t held. The difference in participation is attributed to the composition of the SMC (primarily parents) and the PTA (open to anyone in the community). The discrepancy between the mandated frequency of SMC meetings and actual practice has fueled the controversy surrounding the upcoming PTA meeting.
First Piper 