The State of Andhra Pradesh has come into existence in 1956 as a result of reorganization of states. The First official language is Telugu and the Second official language is Urdu. There are 23 districts in the state. According to the 2001 census the overall literacy rate is 61.11%. Dropout rate up to class – VII is 51.29% and up to class – X is 63.66%. There are lakhs of neo-literates as a result of sustained literacy campaign. They need to continue their education further. A.P. Open School serves the need of providing access to education to all the dropouts and neo-literates. Andhra Pradesh Government has vision of building a knowledge society. A.P. Open School Society is endeavoring to contribute to fulfill this vision.

A.P. Open School Society is an autonomous organization under Government of Andhra Pradesh to provide a flexible type of non-formal education to the dropout children and to the neo-literates. The scheme is functioning in all the 23 districts of Andhra Pradesh with the grant provided by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. APOSS is offering courses in Telugu and Urdu mediums at Upper Primary level and in Telugu medium at Secondary level.

The “ANDHRA PRADESH OPEN SCHOOL” was established as a Registered Society on 20.02.1991 under the Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Region) Public Societies Registration Act, 1350 Fasli(Act I of 1350F).

The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh is the Chief Patron and the Hon’ble Education Minister of Andhra Pradesh is the patron of the Andhra Pradesh Open School Society.

Authorities of the Open School at the State Level:

(A) The General Body

Note: The annual meeting of the General Body shall be held on such date and at such time as may be decided by the Chairman. One third, of the members present in person shall form a quorum at every meeting of the open school.

(B) The Executive Board:

Note: The Executive Board shall hold meetings, as required, but it shall meet at least twice in a year . The quorum for the meeting shall be one third of the members present in person.

Organizational Structure at State level

Chief Secretary of A.P. is the ex-officio Chairman. The Secretary to Government; Education Department is the ex-officio Vice Chairman. The Director, APOSS is convener of the State Executive Board. The Director has to follow the resolutions of State Executive Board.

General Body meets once in a Year.
The Executive Board shall meet at least twice in a year
One third of the members present form the quorum

• To make bye-laws for administration and management of the affairs of the open school.
• For preparation and sanction of budget estimates.
• To frame service rules for proper administration of the open school and of its personnel.
• For the establishment and management of funds and grants.

Authorities of the Open School at the District Level:

The Andhra Pradesh Open School has a District Executive Board at the District Level.

(C) The District Executive Board:

Note: The Executive Board at District level shall meet once in every quarter preferably in the months of June, October and March of every year.

Organizational Structure at District level

The following shall be the substantive powers and functions of the Executive Board at the District Level.

1. Forward planning of policies at District Level.
2. Programme of action at district level.
3. Taking appropriate decisions.
4. Ensuring effective implementation.
5. Review

Funds to the A.P. Open School Society:

        The income and property of the Society, shall be derived, in the manner of Grants from the Government, donations from individuals or organizations and associations and such amount shall be applied towards the promotion of the aims and objectives, set forth in the Memorandum of Association of the Society, subject to the limitations and conditions imposed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh from time to time, concerning the expenditure in the disposal of properties. No portion of the income or property of the society shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly, by way of dividends, bonus or otherwise, how so ever, by way of profit, to the persons who, at any time, are or have been members of the society or to any person claiming through them or any of them provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment in good faith of remuneration to any member thereof or other persons in return for any service rendered to the Society.

The funds are channelised to the APOSS from the Government of Andhra Pradesh, through the Director of School Education.

Budget:

        The budget estimates for each year of the office of the Director, APOSS shall be approved by the Executive Board and General Body not later than 31st January of the preceding year.

        The sanctioned estimates shall be divided into the following units of appropriation and such other additional units as may be approved by the Chairman / Vice-Chairman for the Office of the Director.

1. Pay and Allowances of Staff
2. Honorarium to the Field Functionaries
3. Wages
4. Payment of Leave salary and pension contribution for the staff working on deputation
5. T.A. & D.A to head quarters office
6. T.A. & D.A. to Executive Board members, General Body members and experts.
7. Telephone and telegram charges, office expenses, petrol and repairs to vehicle.
8. Printing and Publication
9. Conferences
10. Contact Programmes
11. Stationery
12. Postage and Freight charges
13. Production of Video films and Vocational Education.
14. Examination, Evaluation and Publication of reports.
15. Supervision and inspection
16. Machinery and Equipment
17. Furniture
18. Electricity, Water charges, Rents and Taxes
19. Miscellaneous

The funds provided in the sanctioned estimates by release of Grants-in-Aid shall be at the disposal of the Director, who shall have the power to appropriate sums there from to meet the expenditure approved by the Board.

Objectives of the Scheme:

(a) Basic Aim:The basic aim is to provide an alternative system of education to the dropout children, who have missed the benefits of formal schooling:

(b) Other objectives:

1. To provide sound, relevant education at the school stage through open learning system, such as distance education and correspondence course to prioritized groups.
2. To provide opportunities to dropout children at the school stage, to rejoin the mainstream of education and to equip them with the competencies and qualifications necessary to become competent and successful citizens.
3. To identify and promote standards of learning in the distance education system and open school system will maintain standards of equivalence (minimum learning outcomes) with the formal system of education while retaining its own distinct character.
   It is thus envisaged that the attainment of these aims and objectives, will in turn, enable the open school society to make its own share of contribution to:

- Universalization of Education
- The evolution of learning society
- Raise the competence of the Indian Citizen through internal transformation

Beneficiaries:

        Client group of APOSS consists of drop-outs of the formal system, products of Continued Learning Centres / Post Literacy Centres of adult education programme, working men and women, Un-employed & partly Employed Youth and any others who desire to continue their education up to secondary level through open Learning System.

Features of Open School Society:

• Can pace one’s study, according to one’s available time.
• Can appear for the course at a time or in 2 to 3 years form the date of admission.
• Can accumulate pass credits over a period of 2 to 3 years and get certificate on meeting the certification criteria.
• Can avail of learning support form the cluster school located in the village.

Medium of Study:

• S2 / S3 courses are offered in both Telugu and Urdu media.
• Secondary (S4 / S5) courses are offered in Telugu medium only.

Working days and Hours:

• No rigid time schedule is prescribed. However, Sundays & two other days in a week or any three days in a week convenient to the learners will be chosen for counseling classes.

Attendance:

• Daily attendance is not required for counselling sessions.
• Timings will be determined by the local conditions and needs of the learners.
• Payments to the Teacher Counsellors will be based on the number of learners appear for the examinations.
• Attendance is compulsory for personal contact programme.

Delivery System:

The A.P. Open School Society supplies learning material specially prepared for the learners through its intermediaries at District / Division / Mandal / Village level.

Functions of Study Centre / Cluster Centre:

1. Admit learners to various courses according to the norms prescribed by the APOSS.
2. Supply study material to the learners.
3. Conduct Personal Contact Programme (PCP) followed by examinations.
4. Facilitates learning by conducting counseling sessions
5. Evaluates the response sheets provided at the end of each lesson for internal assessment and submits the internal marks to the State head quarters through the District level implementing Authority.
6. Receive remuneration / honorarium form the District level implementing Authority and submit accounts to the APOSS, Hyderabad through proper channel for periodical auditing.

Subjects prescribed for various courses:

Duties and Functions of the APOSS at Head Quarters:

• The Head Office of APOSS is located in the campus of SCERT.
• SCERT is the major academic resource unit for the APOSS at state level and DIETs provide academic inputs to the field functionaries at district level.
• Organizes General Body and Executive Board Meetings at State level.
• Organizes State level Orientation Programme to the Principals of DIETs, Deputy Directors of Adult Education Department, District Coordinators and DRU faculty of DIETs at the beginning of the academic year.
• Organizes Quarterly review meetings for the District Coordinators at state level to assess the progress and performance of Open Schools at district level trimester-wise.
• Organizes regional level Orientation Programmes for the benefit of the field staff of Secondary courses.
• Conducts workshops with the identified Editors and Writers of each subject for preparation of lessons in self instructional mode to the learners of APOSS.
• Printing and distribution of learning material to the learners free of cost.
• Prepares and supplies question papers to the districts for conduct of examinations at school level.
• Collects Nominal Rolls / T- Sheets form the districts for computerization, processing of results and issuance of course completion certificates to the successful learners.

STAFF PATTERN:

Note: At State level there is a Three Tier system of organization namely

1. Academic Wing(5 Regional Coordinators / Trained Graduate Teachers)
2. Administrative wing(One Assistant Director with supporting staff )
3. Accounts Wing(One Accounts Officer with supporting staff)

Courses offered at present and their equivalency with the formal Education:

Student Support Services:

• A Network of study centres will be established at the beginning of the academic year by the District Administration.
• Teacher Counsellors are appointed at the study centres to facilitate learning.
• Modules are supplied to the learners free of cost.
• A trimester system and semester system is followed for upper primary and secondary courses respectively.
• At the end of each trimester or semester contact programmes are arranged at the cluster level.
• Experience and trained teachers of formal system guide the learners in their studies at the time of contact programme.
• An examination is conducted at the end of each trimester / semester.
• There is both internal and external evaluation
• Trimester / Semester wise marks and 20% / 10% internal assessment marks respectively together makes the final evaluation.
• Certificates are issued to the successful candidates at the end of the academic year.
• Eligible learners will be mainstreamed in the formal system to continue their education.

Financial Status:

An amount of Rs. 500.00 lakhs has been released by the Government of Andhra Pradesh for implementation of the Scheme during the academic year 2008-09.