Govt reaffirms commitment to distribute textbooks by January

The government today (21 September) reaffirmed its commitment to ensure the distribution of all school textbooks by January next year, despite concerns over irregularities in previous allocations and questions over the quality of books.

After a meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase and the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said orders for printing textbooks for certain classes have already been placed.

He said authorities are now reviewing the list of recipient institutions to ensure that no school has received multiple allocations or been involved in irregular practices in the past. "We want to make sure that those who previously got books properly get them again, but we are also reviewing allegations that some institutions took more than their share," he said.

He mentioned that the government is determined to finalise the list within the next two weeks so that the books can be distributed on schedule. "Our target is clear: students must receive textbooks on time, by 1 January," the adviser said.

Last year, new textbooks were delivered as late as March, but this year the ministry has brought the process forward to September to prevent delays.

Authorities are also reviewing paper quality and other production features, aiming to avoid past complaints over substandard books.