KOZHIKODE: Though the district education department and Kerala Books and Publication Society (KBPS) claim the entire textbooks required for the present academic year are printed and distributed, the fact is that they are yet to reach many schools.
The KBPS says nearly 30 lakh textbooks were required for more than 50 lakh students up to Class X and only 21,000 of them are pending to be despatched.
But when enquired with the 17 educational sub-districts of Kozhikode, it has been revealed that the textbooks transited from the district book depot are yet to reach schools.
The first term examinations are approaching, but students still depend on chapter-wise photocopies.
The following books are yet to be received: Class 1 - Arabic, Class 2 and 3 - Malayalam and Mathematics, Class 5 - Mathematics, Arabic and Malayalam Verse, Class 6 - English, Arabic and Mathematics, Class 7 - Malayalam and Arabic, Class 8 - Malayalam verse and English.
“The department seem to be unperturbed by the current state of affairs because of which students and teachers suffer alike. Authorities from the depot report that the books are sent to the cluster schools in the respective sub districts but the parcels do not have textbooks for all subjects,” Kerala School Teachers Association executive member PK Satheeshan said.
“Now the department claims that the entire books will be distributed before August 1, but if again KBPS fails to meet the deadline of printing, the distribution will take another month, which again will delay the already postponed Onam exams now scheduled in the month of September”.
Kozhikode city AEO Kusumam K. S. said a detail report on the pending books for each educational sub-district has been submitted to DDE, who will further take necessary steps to complete the procedures of distribution as per the need.
