Telangana: Government school students yet to get books, uniforms

Hyderabad: It has been almost a month that the new academic year has begun but many government schools are yet to receive textbooks. Even after protests were held by the Teachers unions and Students union, there has been no progress in the distribution of textbooks in government schools. Around 50 per cent schools are yet to receive textbooks and uniforms.

According to few government school teachers, they have been facing this issue since the last five years. But this year the distribution of textbooks has been delayed even more forcing the schools to postpone the formative assessment exams due to non-availability of books. Shyamsundar, government school teacher said," Every year we face the same problem. Many dharna and protests were organised but the Education department seems least bothered about the students education. Our school has not received sufficient textbooks forcing students to borrow books from each other."

"Even after holding protests on the same issue every year, no action has been taken by the Education department. We receive uniforms in August or September instead of receiving them in June and books are received by July and not as soon as the academic year begins. There should be a committee formed to keep a check on the distribution of books on time", said a government school teacher.

"As per the rule of Education department, textbooks should be distributed in schools in May, but the department is giving false excuses as this year they are printing bilingual textbooks. The reason for the delay in distribution of books is that the tender for printing books was not finalised," said Y Ravi, a government school teacher at Government High School, Secunderabad.

Meanwhile, Srinivasa Chary, Joint Director, in charge of textbook printing and distribution, Telangana said, "Around 80 per cent book has been distributed till date. The main reason for the delay in the distribution of books is increasing paper price, and printing of bilingual textbooks. "Usually the price of paper is around Rs 61,000 per metric tonne but this year it has been increased to Rs 97,000 per metric tonne. We were waiting for a cheaper tender, and the government agreed with the cost of Rs 95,000 per metric tonne.