Textbooks missing from market
PHOTO: FILE
As the new academic year approaches, a new predicament plagues students and parents alike: textbooks are mysteriously missing from the market. A worrisome hike in the prices of textbooks has further compounded their problems.
In the midst of this chaotic uncertainty, the Sindh Textbook Board has offered a glimmer of hope by introducing a novel approach to counter fake books with the introduction of security printing stickers.
The start of the academic year for government and private schools across Sindh, including Karachi, which is scheduled to commence in August, is marred by a frustrating unavailability of textbooks.
Both Grades 9 and 10 textbooks are missing from the market, while several books from Grades 1 through 12 are also elusive.
Exasperated parents lament the dearth of available books, and the few that can be found come with a hefty price tag, prompting them to traverse the city in search of affordable options.
Tenth-grader Anam expresses her dismay, recalling the previous year’s excuse of heavy rains that disrupted book availability.
This year, however, with rainfall being less severe, the situation remains equally dire, leaving students anxiously awaiting the arrival of their learning materials.
Anam candidly points out the irony of lofty rhetoric about advancing education while tangible resources remain out of reach.
Meanwhile, Asad, a first-year Intermediate student, shares his predicament, revealing that part of the problem lies in the recent syllabus overhaul, where a new course akin to the federal board has been introduced. Not a single book relevant to his studies can be found in the Urdu Bazaar.
Aziz Khalid, Chairman of the Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association, acknowledges the critical issue of book scarcity and attributes it to the Sindh Textbook Board.
He addresses the rising book prices, shedding light on the mounting costs of paper, printing, shipping, and binding, all contributing to the unfortunate inflation of educational resources.
In a bid to combat the troubling spread of counterfeit books, the Sindh Textbook Board has taken an important step by introducing security printing stickers.
This innovative measure seeks to not only ensure the quality of genuine books but also safeguard against the proliferation of fraudulent copies. Initially applied to books in Grades 9 and 10, the plan is to extend this protective measure to encompass all textbooks from the forthcoming year.
Attempts to secure a response from Agha Sohail Pathan, Chairman of the Sindh Textbook Board, have proven futile, leaving stakeholders in a state of uncertainty regarding the book unavailability issue.
In the bustling hub of Urdu Bazaar, Usman Jameel Tahir, a shopkeeper, voices his distress as the clock ticks closer to the new academic year’s dawn, yet the much-anticipated books remain conspicuously missing.
He sheds light on the intricate distribution process, revealing that out of the 200 book publishers registered with the Sindh Textbook Board, only 40 are deemed eligible to provide the initial print of free books, leading to frustrating delays in reaching students.
The gravity of the situation intensifies as Usman highlights the dearth of biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, English, and computer books for Grades 9 and 10, leaving students disillusioned.
The few available books vanish from shelves like fleeting shooting stars, exacerbating the already pressing issue.
Perturbed parents express dismay over the limited selection and exorbitant costs. Mathematics books, once priced at Rs550, now command a staggering Rs686, while Urdu books, formerly affordable at Rs288, now demand Rs361.
The soaring cost of a 52-gram paper ream, from Rs.1,300 to Rs3,500, adds to the prevailing hardship.
Ahmed Anwar, another shopkeeper, candidly highlights the exponential rise in paper costs and the perennial neglect of the education and health sectors, leading to a staggering 40 per cent increase in book prices. This unfortunate reality has significantly eroded the purchasing power of students and parents alike, burdening them with financial strain.
Ahmed warns that if the basic textbooks become unaffordable, the underprivileged may be robbed of educational opportunities, with the potential to perpetuate a cycle of unskilled labour and missed potential.