Corporate schools and unaided educational institutions are vying with each another to attract more students through marketing campaigns. Many schools in Vijayawada, Guntur, Visakhapatnam and other towns have appointed public relations officers (PROs) to lure the parents with well-designed pamphlets and brochures, explaining the facilities and teaching pattern their institutions is offering.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Unaided School Managements Association alleges that corporate schools have turned education into a business. “They are trying to lure away students of unaided schools since they are good at studies . This has led to fewer admissions in our schools,” said P.Srikanth, secretary of the association’s Srikakulam wing. “Moreover, these corporate schools run several branches under different names. That is not legal.”
Some of the corporate school PROs are paid up to Rs. 5000 as commission for each admission they attract. Spurred by these incentives, the PROs are carrying out door-to-door campaigns in Srikakulam, Tekkali, Palasa and other regions. One recently set up corporate school in Anandapuram is said to charge about Rs.1.45 lakh per student, schooling and hostel inclusive. The colleges say they have to fix their fees in accordance with their investments and the high salaries they pay to faculty. “ We need to invest a huge amount on infrastructure. Naturally our fee is fixed accordingly,” said a representative of corporate school.
With Corporate schools are trying to lure away our students, we have fewer admissions in our schools
P.Srikanth,AP Unaided School Managements Association secretary
