Staff Correspondent, Narayanganj

Students in Narayanganj district have yet to receive all their textbooks for the new academic year. The education board has not been able to supply books in accordance with demand.

According to the district education office, this year, the total demand for books in Narayanganj is 5.33 million. However, only 1.167 million books have been supplied so far. As a result, 4.167 million books are yet to be distributed, as they have not yet been supplied by the board.

Snigdha, an eighth-grade student from a high school in the city, recently got promoted to the next grade but has not yet seen all her textbooks. Two days after admission, she received only three books from her school. The situation is similar for ninth-grade students, most of whom have not received their new books. Putul, a tenth-grade student, shared that even after a month, she and her classmates have not received all their textbooks—only two or three books have been provided.

Parents of tenth-grade students expressed their frustration, questioning why the government is failing in this regard. They noted that students, who played a crucial role in the country's second independence movement, are now struggling without textbooks. If this delay continues, students’ studies will be disrupted, leading to poor performance in SSC exams.

On the first day of the new year, most students did not receive their books. Although students from first to ninth grade were supposed to get their books on time, the education department has failed to distribute them accordingly.

According to the Narayanganj District Primary Education Office, students in grades one and two from 425 government primary schools, 126 secondary schools, and various private kindergartens and specialized schools have received all their books. However, third-grade students have only received their religious studies books. A total of 1.167 million books have been distributed so far, covering only 20% of the demand. At the primary level, 74% of students are still waiting for their new textbooks. This means that third, fourth, and fifth-grade students have received no books at all.

Officials from the Narayanganj District Primary Education Office confirmed that 74% of students have yet to receive their books. However, efforts are being made to supply the books as soon as possible. Meanwhile, most students at the secondary level, from grades six to ten, as well as in madrasas and technical education institutions, have not received their books. So far, only Bangla, English, and Mathematics books for sixth-grade students have arrived in the district. No other books have been delivered yet.

Officials from the Narayanganj District Education Office stated that they have received only sixth-grade Bangla, English, and Mathematics books, but the total number of books is still unknown. Moreover, no books have been received for the madrasa and technical education sectors. The new academic year began in early January, yet only 20% of students at the primary and secondary levels have received their books. Among them, most are from grades one to three, while students from other grades remain without books.

Out of the 92 million primary-level books, only 48.161 million have been approved for distribution. Similarly, of the 310 million secondary-level books, only 30 million have been approved. By Tuesday, the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) had dispatched around 75 million books to educational institutions, covering only 19% of the total requirement. This year, approximately 410 million free textbooks are being printed for 4.5 crore students, meaning that 81% of students have yet to receive their books.

Printing industry insiders have reported several challenges in producing the new textbooks. There is a shortage of paper in the market, allegedly due to an artificial crisis created by paper suppliers. Additionally, there is a shortage of skilled workers, as many have been hired at higher wages by private publishers producing notebooks and guides. As a result, printing press owners are struggling. While some books may reach schools this month, it may take until March to complete the printing process, raising concerns about whether all students will receive their books within the first month of the academic year.

Prof A.K.M. Riazul Hasan, chairman of NCTB, stated that efforts are being made to deliver books to all primary and secondary students as soon as possible. Currently, three books are being provided to each grade at the secondary level. However, he criticized press owners for not cooperating, saying they are not delivering books at their full capacity.

Meanwhile, Education Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud said on Tuesday at the Secretariat that the book printing process was delayed this year. The syllabus and curriculum had to be revised, and the number of books increased significantly. No books are being printed abroad, and this is the first time the country's printing capacity has been fully tested, leading to inevitable delays. He could not provide a definite timeline for when all students will receive their textbooks. Additionally, there is a shortage of paper.

Experts pointed out that this year’s academic session was delayed by three months due to student protests in July. Subsequently, significant changes were made to the education curriculum. Instead of implementing a new curriculum, the 2012 creative curriculum was reintroduced into textbooks.