2025 IJRSE – Volume 14 Issue 15
Available Online: 10 September 2025
Author/s:
Singh, Ayushi*
Early Childhood Development, Aga Khan Foundation, New Delhi – 110001, India (ayushis200@gmail.com)
Singh, Virendra Pratap
National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi – 110016, India (vpsncert@gmail.com; vps_ncert@nic.in)
Abstract:
This research study aimed to statistically examine the extent of community engagement in school management and the challenges faced in the process. Conducted in the Bhoirimbong block of Meghalaya’s Ribhoi district—a predominantly tribal and rural region—the study involved 50 participants, including local officials and parents serving on School Management Committees, selected from 25 schools across nine educational clusters through simple random sampling. Data collection was facilitated through structured interviews in December 2019 and open focus group discussions in January 2020 with Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan officials and community members. These interactions explored the formation of management committees and the nature of meetings held. The collected data were analyzed using basic statistical techniques, focusing on response frequencies and stakeholder insights. Findings revealed limited awareness among school management committee members regarding the Right to Education Act, 2009, and proper committee formation. While government schools had functioning committees, participation was constrained by socio-economic hardships. In contrast, private unaided and missionary schools often lacked alignment with statutory norms. Community involvement was more evident in addressing absenteeism and in operational tasks such as distributing educational materials and monitoring infrastructure. However, engagement in school development planning remained minimal. Financial oversight was a notable area of contribution, though members raised concerns about implementation gaps, including poor infrastructure, delayed resource delivery, and inadequate facilities. The study underscored the need for enhanced state-level interventions to strengthen SMCs and foster meaningful community participation, particularly in underserved regions.
Keywords: community participation, elementary school education, right to education of children, school management committee, tribal-dominated areas
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25257
Cite this article:
Singh, A., & Singh, V. P. (2025). A statistical survey and analysis of community participation in school management in tribal-dominated areas of Meghalaya, with special reference to the Bhorimbong Block in the Aspirational District of Ribhoi. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 14(15), 105-119. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25257
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