Andhra Pradesh High Court directs education department to rename schools after donors 

Finding fault with the Department of Education for refusing to rename schools as per the names suggested by donors, the Andhra Pradesh High Court, in its recent judgement, found fault with this as per Government Order (GO) 162.

After receiving the donation, the education department refused to rename the MPP Model Primary School in Balabhadrapuram of Bikavolu mandal in East Godavari district to Kovvur Venkata Reddy, father of the donor and petitioner Kovvur Venkatarama Reddy, who filed a petition challenging this refusal.

He is not the only one though. KVV Satyanarayana Reddy of the same village also filed a petition challenging the refusal to rename the MPP school after his father Kovvur Satyanarayana Reddy. T Eswar Reddy of Anaparthi village also filed a petition in the court challenging the refusal of the department to rename the MPP Elementary School in the village after his parents' name. A similar petition was filed by N Kiran Kumar Reddy of Akkampeta village in Nellore district.

While presenting their arguments, the counsels of the petitioners referred to GO 162 which was issued in the year 2004 and shared how making a donation of Rs 5 lakh to primary schools, Rs 7.5 lakh to upper primary schools and Rs 10 lakh to high schools, these educational institutions can be renamed after the donor or as per the name suggested by the donor. And the donated amount should be directed towards improving the facilities of the school.

Even though donations were received, the officials refused to rename the schools. At the same time, amending certain guidelines in the GO 162, some schools were renamed, but the GO was not honoured in the case of petitioners.

After hearing all the arguments, the Judge found fault with the officials and stated that their attitude was against the spirit of the GO. He wondered who will come forward to donate and improve the infrastructure of educational institutions if such attitudes were maintained with regard to the implementation of GO.

Stating the officials' refusal to rename the schools is not acceptable, the Judge directed them to rename the schools to which the petitioners had made donations after the names they suggested.