The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Schools reopen, but no textbooks to open

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Friday, Jun 06, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Schools reopen, but no textbooks to open

Chitra V. Ramani

Students are in a fix because State syllabus books are in short supply

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

Out of stock: Students and parents are put to difficulty with bookstores in Bangalore putting up posters proclaiming unavailability of State syllabus textbooks.

Bangalore: Several bookstores in the city have put up boards citing the unavailability of State syllabus textbooks. Many schools across the State have reopened and the children are attending school without textbooks. Concerned parents from across the city are said to be lining up at bookstores.

“My daughter studies in a Central Board of Secondary Education School. She has received all her textbooks except the Kannada textbook, which is of State syllabus. We were told by the school that there is a shortage. I have visited various bookstores only to be sent back without a copy,” said Bhanumati B., a parent.

Vishu Prasad, parent of a seventh standard student, said that he has been visiting bookstores in different parts of the city with the hope of getting a copy of the first language textbook for his daughter. “The bookstores all say there are no stocks available. The students are being put to a lot of hardship due to the unnavailability of textbooks,” he said. M.N. Baig, Director of the Directorate of Secondary Education Research and Training, said that the stocks that were released in the open market were exhausted. “We have been putting pressure on the printers to open more outlets and ensure there is enough stock,” he said. Kumar G. Naik, Commissioner, Department of Public Instruction, said that the students of all government schools and grant-aid-schools had received their textbooks. “These students form around 80 to 85 per cent of the total student strength in the State. The problem is with the unavailability of textbooks in the open market for the students of private schools,” he said.

He said that the sales chains place the demand late, which results in unavailability. “The demand is not conveyed to the printers. This happens every year. Unless they place the indent in advance, we will not be able to print the required number of copies,” he said.

Mr. Naik also said that the department was continuously monitoring the situation and would ensure that the textbooks are available in a week’s time.

Meanwhile, a senior official in the department said that the unhealthy nexus between the sellers and printers was the major cause behind the short supply. “They try to create artificial scarcity. However, this does not help either them or the students in any way. The sellers cannot sell the textbooks at a price more than the MRP. The department would black-list them instantly if that were the case,” he said.

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