Andhra state government set to take over willing private aided schools

The State government, which announced its policy to take over the willing private aided schools, including minority schools without having to face any financial burden on the exchequer, has decided to invite applications immediately in writing from the managements and staff of such schools, who are voluntarily willing to hand over the management and infrastructure to the government.

In the order issued on August 17 giving out the policy framework for taking over the willing private aided schools, Principal Secretary (School Education) B Rajasekhar said the government would take over the management and assets (movable and immovable) without any compensation through an irrevocable and unconditional registered deed. "Consequently, such institutions would become government institutions,'' the order said.

Further, to enable the government for absorption of aided staff of such willing aided institutions into government/local body institutions, the government has decided to amend some of its earlier orders and issue fresh orders. "Once the process of take over is completed, the government/local body institutions would have the power to utilise the surplus assets (movable and immovable) of the institutions for any public purpose after taking approvals after meeting the requirements of the institutions,'' the school education department said.

The government would absorb the existing aided staff of the institution into the government/local body institutions. The managements and their unaided part-time staff (both teaching and non-teaching) will be mandated to give a legally binding undertaking declaring that they are fully aware of the policy framework and they should never seek recourse for regularisation on what-so-ever grounds.

Emphasising the need for take over, the government said the concept of providing grant-in-aid was introduced decades ago for improving the overall educational infrastructure of the private educational institutions. "Over the years, especially in the recent past, the government had put in massive efforts for strengthening education particularly, with the launching of schemes like Amma Vodi, Mana Badi - Nadu Nedu, Vidya Kanuka, Gorumudda, Toilet Management Fund and others,'' Rajasekhar said, adding that these measures have improved educational infrastructure in government sector.