No PTM, this time it’s mother-teacher meet at govt schools

JAIPUR: The child spends maximum time with the mother. We have been holding parentteacher meetings, but we want to sensitise the mother towards child’s education. NATHMAL DIDEL, director, secondary education.

After introducing parentteacher meeting (PTM) in government schools this year, the state education department is for the first time organising a mother-teacher meeting. The department issued directions on Friday for making arrangements in view of the meet.

“The child spends maximum time with his or her mother. We have been holding parentteacher meetings, but we want to sensitise the mother towards child’s education,” said Nathmal Didel, director, secondary education.

The schools have to hold four parent-teacher meetings in a year, Didel said, and the department decided to turn the third meeting, slated for November 18, into one exclusively for the mother. The two preceding parent-teacher meetings of this year were held in May and September.

The order from the department says that the mother’s (or any other female guardian’s) link with the child’s learning progress is crucial for overall academic development of the child. In the same context, the order gives the example of Maratha ruler Shivaji and his mother Jija Bai, under whose tutelage he grew up.

The schools were earlier instructed to inform and invite the mothers (or any other female guardian) 10 days ahead of the meeting. The schools have also been instructed to publicise the meet and go door-to-door encouraging the mothers to attend it.

The school principals have been told to ask their staff to behave respectfully with the guardians. Furthermore, the schools are required to register the details of attendees and upload them on the department’s web portal the next day. The guardians shall also be apprised and reminded of the dates for the next parent-teacher meet.

On the other hand, the district education officers have been asked to ensure maximum attendance on the day. The decision to hold parent-teacher meeting in government schools is one of the many reforms steered by education minister Vasudev Devnani. School mergers, staff rationalisation, roping in philanthropists and creation of Adarsh Schools are some of the other reforms introduced by him.