New academic year: Textbook shortages keep students away from college

Books for civics, Islamiat and English are still unavailable in the market.


Asad Zia September 17, 2012

PESHAWAR: Although the new academic year for intermediate students began last week, many students were unable to attend classes due to a shortage of books.

Textbooks for civics, Islamiat and English are still unavailable in the market whereas the classes started on September 10, students told The Express Tribune.

“Classes of three out of the six subjects in the college are not being taken due to this problem. I went to several bookshops on Arbab Road, Saddar and Chowk Yadgar, but returned empty- handed,” said Asfandyar Khan, a second year intermediate student at a Government Higher Secondary School in Tehkal.

Noor Ali Khan, a student of the same college, said that he was asking senior students for their books.

“Last year, the college provided the books, but this year they told us to buy them ourselves,” said Habeebullah Jan, a first year student of the Government Higher Secondary School Ring Road.

Teachers, requesting not to be named, said that they were trying to collect books from their previous students, but the curriculum for some subjects had changed.

“We cannot take classes because of this and have to wait until the books are available,” a teacher said.

Faisal Khan, a bookseller in Saddar, said that they are not receiving books from agents of the textbook board. Books for Urdu, physics, computer science and Islamiat are mainly unavailable, Khan said.

However, Textbook Board Chairman Dr Fazal Raheem Marwat refuted the reports and said 30 million books have been published, which were supplied to 60 agents before the session started.

“There is a gap between the agents and booksellers due to which students are facing this problem, but we will still take notice of the issue and try to resolve it,” Marwat told The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2012.

 

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