Students left in the lurch

Students left in the lurch
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Highlights

A large number of school students in Visakhapatnam have been left in the lurch owing to non-availability of prescribed textbooks in local bookstores. Even though the school reopening day, June 12, coming very close, the education department has failed to supply adequate number of textbooks to the students.

Visakhapatnam: A large number of school students in Visakhapatnam have been left in the lurch owing to non-availability of prescribed textbooks in local bookstores. Even though the school reopening day, June 12, coming very close, the education department has failed to supply adequate number of textbooks to the students.

There is no clear response from the authorities when the books will be available in the market. Parents and students are rushing to the super bazars and other noted book stores, but they could see only 'no stock' boards. According to sources, due to shortage of paper, the Government Printing Press has failed to print books according to demand.

Highlights:

  • Due to shortage of paper, the Government Printing Press has failed to print books according to demand
  • Government has to supply 6.28 crore text books for 2017-18 academic year, but till now 4.8 crore books only supplied
  • The department is expecting that enough stock would arrive in the district soon, says DEO M Nagamani

During 2016-17 academic year also, the government has failed to supply text books very particularly Telugu text books of Class VI to X. In fact, the district educational officers have to raise their indent according to the demand for the text books. However, the sources said that the education department did not receive the indent from several districts to gear up for the printing of the textbooks.

The government has to supply 6.28 crore text books for 2017-18 academic year, however, the sources said that till now 4.8 crore books only supplied. In the present academic year (2017-18), majority of the students complaining that textbooks of Class VII to X are not available in the market. Though the education department had failed to supply textbooks, it seems, it did not learnt lessons, leaving aside the interests of lakhs of students, the department is not even giving correct date when textbooks would be supplied.

"I am roaming throughout the city searching for textbooks for my son. The college management has provided some books and asked to purchase others in the market, but in vain," an employee of judicial department, J Sreedhar lamented.
Some of the employees alleged that some shop keepers are selling the textbooks on higher prices.

An ICICI bank officer Giridhar had purchased Class IX textbooks near Poorna Market on a higher price. Lamenting about the government's poor supply of textbooks, Giridhar said that due to the lack of time and demand he had purchased the books in the black market.

"There are many parents and students coming for textbooks. In present academic year, less stock arrived and disbursed to various colleges in bulk as they had ordered three months before. NCERT books are available at present whereas, state syllabus text books expected to arrive on June 10," said Srinivas of one of the leading book stores in the city, Jyothi Book Depot.

By Phani Suni

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