Members of private schools management associations in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday announced their decision to close their institutions across the state on Thursday (July 3) in protest against what they alleged as “arbitrary and unilateral actions” of certain local officials with regard to implementation of Section 12 (1) (C) of the Right to Education Act, 2009.The Act mandates that private unaided schools reserve 25% of their entry-level seats for children from economically weaker sections (EWS) and disadvantaged groups. A delegation of private school managements associations including president of the Andhra Pradesh Private Unaided Schools Managements Association (APPUSMA) K. Tulasi Vishnu Prasad, president of Independent Schools Management Association (ISMA) K. Srikanth Babu, president of United Private Schools Federation (UPSF) Praveen Mahanti and president of United Private Educational Institutions’ Federation (UPEIF) Srinivas met the State project director of Samagra Shiksha B. Srinivasa Rao on Wednesday and drew his attention to certain issues, seeking immediate steps to resolve them.The members alleged that certain local officials were forcing admissions under RTE without proper verification of the selected students. They schools were being served with show-cause notices and were threatened of de-recognition of their institutions. The private school management representatives alleged that the inspections being conducted as part of the admission process were “biased and based on unverified complaints”. They said that the local officials used disrespectful and coercive communication, demanding immediate compliance.They said: “These actions were disrupting school administration and creating unrest among more than 10,000 school managements, 3 lakh staff and impacting more than 40 lakh students. Private schools in Andhra Pradesh educate 55% of the student population, adding that of them, 80% of schools charge fees less than one-fourth of what the government spends per child-approximately ₹90,000 per year. These schools are not just affordable, but are also playing a crucial role in supporting the State’s education system.”The members requested the government to take note of their concerns and ensure rule-based, transparent implementation of the Act. They urged the department officials to ensure immediate steps to halt the harassment of private institutions, committed to delivering affordable and quality education to millions of children.Published - July 02, 2025 11:26 pm IST