Policy Briefs
Leveraging the Role and Potential of Low-Fee Private Schools in Kerala’s School Education System
December 29, 2025
Bridging the Learning Gap: The Role of Low-Fee Private Unaided Schools in Tamil Nadu’s Education System
December 29, 2025Unlocking Learning Potential: The Role of Low-Fee Private Schools in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh’s school system has undergone a profound transformation over the decades, moving from a predominantly government-led model to a mixed ecosystem where private providers now educate over half of all students. Public initiatives such as free textbooks, midday meals, scholarships, Operation Blackboard, and the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan expanded access and enrollment, but gaps in instructional quality, teacher availability, and urban-rural equity drove growing parental demand for alternatives. In response, private, unaided schools, initially concentrated in urban areas, expanded across peri-urban and rural regions.
The growth of private schooling in Andhra Pradesh has been primarily driven by a distinct category of low-fee private schools (LFPS), which have become a critical part of the education ecosystem. Low-fee private schools, also known as budget or affordable private schools, are schools that charge monthly tuition fees affordable to daily wage-earning households (400 to 3500 rupees) or that operate with per-pupil expenditure lower than that of government schools (CCS, 2022).
This policy brief focuses on low-fee private schools in Andhra Pradesh, analysing the operational challenges they face and proposing governance reforms that place learning outcomes at the centre of policy. It proposes establishing an independent accreditation body to assess schools using uniform indicators and publicly disclosing student outcome data; providing targeted support through mentorship, instructional coaching, and flexible teacher recruitment; and implementing context-sensitive fee and infrastructure regulations, including a distinct category for budget schools, while incentivising innovation and educational technology to improve learning outcomes.
