Several primary schools in Andhra Pradesh might face the axe from the next academic year. This, after the state government, has decided to withdraw the recognition awarded to these private aided and unaided schools whose strength is lower than 20 students. Records of enrollments in schools had been updated in September this year by regional directors and district education officers under orders from the School Education Department. A provision in the Right to Education Act entitles the government to deny recognition to such schools where the strength is below 20 students. Director of School Education V Chinna Veerabhadrudu issued orders to this effect.
Perhaps another reason for the AP government's push towards regulating such institutions is its move from a few weeks ago where it announced that it would be pulling out of aided schools, and all institutions will be required to adhere to the CBSE or ICSE boards. The government will take over all erstwhile aided schools that do not possess the funds to sustain themselves.
The orders referred to an amendment made to a GO issued in 2013, which clearly stated that any private aided/unaided school with less than 20 children is un-viable to be a primary school. Explaining the procedure to be followed for withdrawal of the recognition, the proceedings said the authority issuing the certificate of recognition shall issue a show-cause notice of withdrawal of recognition and the school should be given at least a month’s time to file a reply. The officials were asked to inform the action taken on the withdrawal of recognition of the schools by December 31.
“If the authority is not satisfied with the reply, the school shall be given the opportunity of hearing before taking a decision on the withdrawal of recognition,’’ the orders said. The order of withdrawal shall be in writing and the order of de-recognition shall be operative from the immediately succeeding academic year. The School Education Department said the orders shall contain the name/names of the neighbourhood school/schools where the children of the derecognised school can get admission.
