Private school managements resist state's descision A majority of private schools in the city are already struggling due to increased expenditure ­­ S. Sreenivas Reddy President, APRSMA. The managements of private schools have joined hands to resist the move of the state government to regulate their fees from the coming the academic year.

The managements want the government to regulate fees only in corporate and international schools, which collect heavy donations and admission fees. They argue that there is no need to regulate medium and lower-rung schools, which collect reasonable fees and do not collect any donations and cater to students from middle and lower-income groups.

The schools have convened a meeting on February 23 at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram to decide their future course of action. Secondary education minister K. Parthasaradhi had recently announced setting up a fee regulatory mechanism for private schools along the lines of the Admissions and Fee Regulatory Committee for professional colleges. “A majority of private schools in the city are already struggling due to increased expenditure on account of hike in property tax, power tariff, water charges, salaries etc. Every year, nearly 50 schools are downing shutters unable to bear the losses, even as international and corporate schools charge heavy fees and donations. The government should bring legislation to control such schools,” said AP Recognised Schools Managements Association president S. Sreenivas Reddy. The managements fear that any new legislation on fee regulation would be used to harass small schools since the big ones enjoy political clout.