HYDERABAD: Members of the Best Available Schools Management Association on Sunday urged the state government to immediately release pending dues of Rs 200 crore under the Best Available Schools Scheme (BASS), which they claim have been unpaid for the past three years.
The Association said the delay in reimbursements has pushed several private schools into financial distress. BASS, launched in 2008 by the government in undivided Andhra Pradesh, aims to provide corporate-level education to children from SC and ST communities by covering their tuition fees. The scheme is currently operational in over 200 private schools across 33 districts and benefits nearly 25,000 students.
Announcing a decision to halt fresh admissions under BASS, the Association said no new students would be admitted unless the arrears are cleared.
“BASS was launched with the good intention of offering quality education to poor SC and ST students. The state was supposed to reimburse the expenses. But for the past three years, not a single rupee has been released. School managements are struggling to pay off loans, cover hostel expenses, building rents and staff salaries,” said Yadagiri Sekhar Rao, general secretary of the Association.
He added that despite repeated meetings with officials, there has been no resolution.
“The new academic year has begun, but BASS students have not been allowed to attend classes. They will be admitted only after the arrears are cleared,” he said.