The Rs.100-crore world-class British Global School proposed to be developed at Adavivaram in Visakhapatnam in an area of 15 acres of Endowments (Simhachalam temple) land has hit a roadblock.
The project is to be developed in a built-up area of 20 lakh sft and is the first being undertaken in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode in the State by the Priyadarshini Group of Educational Institutions, in association with the Anglo Schools International Services (ASIS), London, U.K.
The principal partner of ASIS, David Boddy, along with his Indian colleague Rajeev Tandon, met the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of the Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Limited (INCAP) Sambasiva Rao in Hyderabad in January this year to brief him about the technical association and the concept of the global British school, and announced that works on the project would commence in a week. An ASIS team, accompanied by officials of the UK Trade and Investment and British Deputy High Commissioner Sohini Basu and Ridhima Peravali respectively, and international school expert M. Krishna Rao even visited the proposed venue to make an assessment of the proposed project.
But the ASIS is still waiting for a ‘letter of award’ from the Government of Andhra Pradesh to the Priyadarshini Group to go ahead with the works. Besides A.P., the ASIS is exploring opportunities to develop British partnership schools in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Telangana.
Sources indicate that the delay in securing the government’s nod is due to the objection made by a Minister from Visakhapatnam, who is said to be upset about the fact that he was not taken into confidence for a project coming up in his own district.
The international school would be recognised by the British Schools Overseas Inspection regime.
The proposed school at Visakhapatnam envisages a capacity of 2,000 students. The classes will include grades from nursery to Standard XII. The syllabi shall be either International Baccalaureate (IB) or International General Certificate Council for Secondary Education (IGCSE), along with the option of CBSE/ICBSE or ICSE/CISCE, or any other international, national, or Andhra Pradesh State Board Certification.
The curriculum will include ‘Gurukul’ pattern with yoga, medication, Indian classical art forms, and cultural heritage in tune with the RFP specifications.
The INCAP undertook bid process for selection of suitable developers and suitable global tie-ups. “The bid process was carried out in a highly competitive and transparent way, and yet there is this delay,” rued an official associated with the project.
The ASIS is keen on registering the first batch of enrolments in the academic year 2017-18, but the political ‘interference’ may further push away the project implementation.
Highlights
Priyadarshini Group and Anglo Schools International Services, U.K., come together to develop it
‘Letter of award’ from the government to the Priyadarshini Group is awaited
School to be recognised by British Schools Overseas Inspection regime
It is envisaged to have an intake of 2,000 students
Classes to include grades from nursery to Standard XII
A Minister is said to be upset that he was not taken into confidence for a project in his district
