Citadels of education may fade away

Amaravati: The citadels of childhood memories for lakhs of people settled in the highest positions both within the country and abroad are likely to disappear.

A majority of alumni may not locate their childhood educational institutions during their next visit to their native places. This is one of the impacts of the decision of the State Government to take over aided schools and colleges or run them without expecting any aid from the government.

The aided educational system existed since the freedom struggle and at present over 1.97 lakh students and 6,982 teachers are part of 1,972 schools that exist across the State.

Likewise, one lakh students and 700 lecturers are there in junior aided colleges and 2.1 lakh students and 1,200 lecturers in aided degree colleges.

The ordinance to withdraw financial assistance to aided educational institutions directing the managements of private aided educational institutions to run the institutions on their own or to surrender them to the State Government has resulted in some chaos.

For example, Children's Montessori High School in Vijayawada which is more than half-a-century old on Friday sent a notice to parents and students stating that the management had decided to close the school and hence the students should take TCs and seek admission in any other school.

While some are in the process of surrendering the staff and handing over the schools to the government, a good number of the managements is not willing to give up their properties.

This move has raised a new hope among the staff who feel that they would become part of the Government and would get benefits on par with government teachers. However, there is some ambiguity on this issue and some express concern.

Meanwhile, the aided teachers are welcoming the decision of the State Government in the hope that they will get the provisions on par with government teachers.