Residential education in the public sector for the rural is the contribution of the late prime minister, P V Narasimha Rao drawing cue from the concept of "Gurukulam" (గురుకులం) in the epic stories of ancient India, Mr. Rao conceived the idea of setting up residential schools in Andhra Pradesh. The idea of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in the country are also the brainchild of Mr. Rao.
Mr. Rao, soon after becoming the Chief Minister of the State, had set up a residential school for boys at Sarvail near Samsthan Narayanpur in Nalgonda district in November, 1971.
He brought about a piece of legislation in 1972 forming the Andhra Pradesh Residential Educational Institutions (APREI) Society and had it registered under the Societies Act. This is an autonomous body with State funding. With the advent of the APREI Society, the State Government added two new schools, one at Tadikonda in Guntur district and another Kodigenahalli in Anantapur district. With the result, all the three regions in the State, coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana had one school each.
NOTE ON ANDHRA PRADESH RESIDENTIAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS SOCIETY
( http://www.apresidential.gov.in )
In order to do social and economic justice to the poor and talented rural children,Government of Andhra Pradesh established A.P. Residential Educational Institutions Society in the year 1972 as an autonomous body with the Secretary to Government,Education Department as Chairman.Later through G.O.Ms.No.363, Education (SSE.I) Department, dated 12.09.1988, the Minister in charge of Education,Andhra Pradesh is designated as the Chairman and the Secretary to Government, Education Department designated as the Vice-Chairman.The management of the Society is vested with the Board of Governors consisting of 22 members.
GROWTH OF RESIDENTIAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS:
The first Residential School started by the Government of Andhra Pradesh at Sarvail in Nalgonda District to cater the needs of Telangana pupils during 1971-72 in the buildings and land donated by Sarvodaya Trust Board. To facilitate the maintenance of Residential Schools free from the normal restraints in Government Department, the Government have constituted A.P. Residential Schools Society (Regd.), Hyderabad during April, 1972 and permitted the opening of 2 more Residential Schools in the other two Regions in the State at Tadikonda in Guntur district and Kodigenahalli in Anantapur. Later the Government have decided to extend the scheme to Intermediate level and permitted the opening of a Residential Junior College at Nagarjunasagar in 1975.
At present the Society is managing 123 schools, 13 Junior Colleges and 1 Degree College, 220 KGBVs as shown below.
Strength in APR Schools : 41232 (44300)
Strength in Colleges : 2705 ( 3300 )
Total : 43937 (47600)
Staff in APR schools and Coleges:
Regular staff : 2617 ( teaching and Non teaching)
Contract teachers : 535 ( teaching)
Staff in KGBVs : 266( teaching)