Pry students get books on first day of yr

Primary schoolchildren across the country received full sets of new textbooks yesterday, but about a quarter of secondary-level textbooks did not reach the schools, leaving millions of students without complete sets on the first day of the academic year.

Shortages were most acute for students of classes 7 and 8, Dakhil students from classes 6 to 9, and class 9 humanities students, according to reports of our district correspondents.

Primary and Mass Education Adviser Prof Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder described the primary-level distribution as a "major success" for the government.

Speaking at the inauguration at Abul Bashar Government Primary School in Agargaon yesterday, he said the government printed 30 crore textbooks this year with significantly improved paper quality.

However, the situation with secondary textbooks is different.

Prof Riad Choudhury, member (textbook) of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board, told The Daily Star that while 88 percent of the 21.43 crore secondary books had been printed, only 75.15 percent had been dispatched by yesterday.

NCTB officials admitted that deliveries for classes 7 and 8 were lagging behind significantly, whereas distribution of books for pre-primary to class 5 was 100 percent completed.

Prof Riad said, "We expect to deliver all the textbooks by January 15."

Data from Narsingdi lay bare a stark inequality. While general secondary schools there received about 64 percent of their required books, English version schools received absolutely nothing against a demand of 8,600 copies.

Dakhil students in the district were similarly hit hard, receiving only 23.70 percent of their required books.

In Narayanganj, acting district education officer Atikur Rahman confirmed that textbooks for classes 7 and 8 had not reached the district at all. As a result, secondary students returned home empty-handed.

Faruk Ahmed, head teacher of Narayanganj Government Girls' High School, said, "No textbooks for classes 7 and 8 have been delivered so far."

In the capital, a teacher at Azimpur Government Girls' High School echoed the concerns, stating that supplies for classes 6 and 9 were inadequate, with absolutely none for classes 7 to 8.

In Rajshahi, while the demand for books at the primary level was fully met, secondary schools reported significant shortfalls.

District Education Officer Zayedur Rahman said only 48.81 percent of the secondary requirement reached the district, with zero books arriving for class 8.

"It feels very bad to begin the year without books. We will fall behind in our studies," said Sijjatul Muntaha Sadia, an eighth-grader at Government Promothnath Girls' High School in Rajshahi.

Barishal has a similar problem.

"None of the class 8 books have been delivered yet," said Nitul Mondol, research officer at the district education office.

Polinus Guda, headmaster of Oxford Mission High School, said their class 8 shelves remain empty.

The situation was dire for madrasas in Gazipur, where 253 out of 261 madrasas received no books.

"Not a single book for classes 6 to 9 has reached our institution," said Maulana Mohammad Billal Hossain of Belashi Fazil Madrasa.

In Noakhali, shortages hit class 9 humanities students. The district secondary education office reported that over half of the required books had not reached students. Zila Poura Kalyan High School authorities reported that they received no humanities books.

In Tangail, schools received 33.33 lakh copies against a secondary-level demand of 46.14 lakh.

Shamim Al Mamun Jewel, general secretary of the Bangladesh Teachers' Association, said that while the festival was cancelled, ensuring students received books on the first day was a success. He added that complete sets for classes 7 and 8 could not be delivered, but the association hopes to distribute them by the end of January.

This year the textbooks were handed over without the traditional book festival, which was cancelled due to state mourning following the death of BNP chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

[Correspondents from Narayanganj, Rajshahi, Barishal, Gazipur, Narsingdi, Rangamati, Tangail, and Noakhali contributed to this report.]