The School Education Department has started the process of withdrawing recognition to private aided and unaided schools with enrolment of less than 20 students.
In an order issued to this effect, Director, School Education, V. Chinaveerabhadrudu said based on the data of enrolment updated by the school managements after completion of the admission process for the academic year 2021-22, it was observed that certain private and private aided schools have enrolments less than 20 children.
He cited the Right to Education (RTE) norm that with regard to children in Classes 1-V, a school shall be established within a walking distance of 1 km of the neighbourhood taking into consideration the population of at least 20 school-going children in the locality, to make the school viable and ensure quality.
An amendment, he pointed out, was made which says that any private aided or unaided school with less than 20 children is an unviable primary school.
Referring to the prescribed procedure for withdrawal of recognition, he said where a school contravenes the conditions of recognition or any provisions of the Act, the authority issuing the certificate of recognition shall issue a show cause notice to the school in question, giving it a month’s time to file the reply.
The order of the withdrawal should be in writing and it should also contain the name/names of the neighbourhood school/schools where the children of the de-recognised school will be admitted.
The Director has asked the District Education Officers and Regional Joint Directors of the School Education Department to issue show cause notices to the schools identified as student strength less than 20 and submit an “action taken’ report by December 31.
