Textbook distribution in Telangana only after lockdown

Of the total 1.42 crore textbooks required for the government schools for Classes I to X for the next academic year, 40 per cent of them have already reached the district headquarters.

Hyderabad: The School Education Department is making elaborate arrangements for the distribution of textbooks to students of the government schools before the commencement of the new academic year i.e., 2021-22. Of the total 1.42 crore textbooks required for the government schools for Classes I to X for the next academic year, 40 per cent of them have already reached the district headquarters. Depending on the requirement, these textbooks would be sent to the Mandal Education Offices and then to the school points.

According to the statistics available with the department, 59,26,253 students were studying in 40,898 schools across the State the last year. Of the total, 32,37,448 students were in 10,763 private schools and 26,88,805 in 30,135 government schools. Every year, the State government provides free textbooks to the students studying in the government and residential schools. This year, textbooks of Classes VI to X come with QR codes. On scanning these QR codes on a smartphone, students would get information besides videos and photographs related to a particular lesson. This would help the students understand lessons in a better way. Earlier, on a pilot project basis, these QR codes were printed on a few textbooks.

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This apart, to curb irregularities in the distribution of free textbooks, the department has come up with a barcoding system. These bar codes would help ascertain the school-wise distribution of the textbooks. “Already 40 per cent of the free component textbooks have reached the districts and remaining textbooks are at various stages of printing. We plan to complete the entire process by month-end. The textbooks will be distributed after relaxation of the lockdown,” said a senior official of the department.

Meanwhile, some private printers have sought permission from the government to sell textbooks of the last year. About 35 lakh textbooks were printed under sale component by the private printers for the academic year 2020-21. However, around 17 lakh textbooks were sold due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “Private printers have sought permission to sell textbooks that remained unsold last year. We have written to the government on the same,” a senior official said.

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