Textbooks ready for school kids in Karnataka

Students of state board schools need not worry about their textbooks for the coming academic year.

The department has become successful in keeping up its promise about supplying the books early.

The printing of textbooks for the academic year 2011-12 is already complete and even the 50% of distribution is over. Following complaints from parents and school authorities about the non-availability of textbooks and  delayed supply, the department took measures to ensures the books’ availability.

“We have started distributing the books to block education officers,” said Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri, state primary and secondary education minister.
According to Kageri, the text book distribution process will be complete by March, and the authorities of the schools concerned  can collect the same by producing the DD from mid-April. “This time on the first day of the re-opening of the school, we will provide textbooks,” Kageri said.

The department officials  said that the printing orders were given in December 15, 2010 and also instructed the printers to provide books within the given timeframe.

Shortage of textbooks in the market is a common complaint from students, parents, and school authorities every year. From 2010-11 academic year, it is must for even private unaided schools to buy textbooks from department.

“This time, we have made some changes. Earlier, private schools had to provide demand drafts while giving printing orders, but this time they need to provide it only while collecting the printed textbooks,” said an official.

For the academic year 2011-12, the total number of textbooks order given was 5.5 crore and the total titles published are about 334.