Delay in textbook delivery leaves children heartbroken

A state minister hopes to distribute all textbooks by the end of January

“We haven’t received any books. Then how shall we study?” asked a frustrated Shafir Ahmed, a grade two student whose dreams of getting textbooks on the first day of the year were dashed by a delay in the distribution.

Khadiza Islam Supti, a teacher of Mirpur Cantonment Public School and College which Shafir attends, said the authorities did not send textbooks for the students of grades one and two.

As assumed, not all the students got their free textbooks on New Year’s Day once again after the distribution became a tradition over the past decade, known as the textbook festival.

Students at the primary level were affected the most. State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain said the printing presses were yet to deliver 20 percent of the books.

Complications over the tender process and paper prices made it clear that it would be impossible for the authorities to deliver the books within the stipulated time.

The owners of the printing presses demanded either a compromise in quality or a rise in payment after paper prices increased. The government settled for a compromise in quality.

Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury Nowfel, the deputy minister of education, said there could be printing mistakes due to the challenges they faced this time.

In the past 12 years, the Awami League government distributed for free more than 4 billion textbooks among the students of primary and secondary levels.

This time the government has targeted to distribute more than 40 million books. State Minister Zakir hopes to achieve the target by the end of January.

Rashid Adarsha High School at Mirpur 12 was among the schools that could not distribute the books among the students of classes one and two.

“The authorities should have given some books. My child’s heart broke. She asked me to buy her books,” said Nasrin Akter, mother of class one student Mim, who was identified with a single name.

Headmaster SM Emdadul Islam said students of other classes got books on two to three subjects while the rest is yet to arrive.

“There’s no doubt children’s hearts fill with joy when they get new books. This time the little ones are frustrated at not getting the books,” he said.

Professor Farhad Hossain, the chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board, said the deadline for printing the primary-level books was extended to Jan 15. He claimed all the secondary-level books have been sent to the local authorities.