Andhra Pradesh to get 737 model schools

The UPA Government allocated Rs 312 crore in the interim budget 2009-10 for setting up 6,000 model schools. While 3,500 schools will be created and run by the Government,2,500 schools are proposed to be set up on a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) format.

“The KV template will be followed in terms of the area across which should the school be spread out,the size of the classroom,creation of facilities like a playground,library,medical check-up facility and regular teachers’ training. The teacher-pupil ration will be around 1:40. While states will own and run these model schools,the Centre will contribute around Rs 4 crore for each school. The state can decide whether it wants to affiliate the schools to the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education),as is the case with all KVs so far,or with state boards,” an official said.

The aim of the scheme is to retain students in school through the secondary stage,more so with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan,bringing a large number of children into the primary education fold. The ministry claims that there is nearly 97 per cent enrolment at the elementary level now whereas the gross enrolment ratio for secondary education is around 52 per cent and still lower at the senior secondary stage. With a high-quality model school in the most backward blocks of the country,the ministry hopes to arrest the drop in secondary stage enrolment and also to hone talented children in these areas.

There is,however,still no major headway made on the PPP-mode schools. The HRD ministry had envisaged a flexible PPP format wherein private investment would be allowed on a response-based and school-specific basis. However,the Planning Commission has yet to okay the PPP scheme.