More than two weeks have passed since the new academic year commenced on July 1, but State syllabus students have yet to get their textbooks. Those who have access to the internet are making do with soft copies that have been made available for online classes. Others have borrowed study material from their seniors.
Many school teachers are currently conducting bridge courses to help students brush up on concepts taught the previous year. “Last academic year, there were a lot of disruptions due to the pandemic. A majority of students were not able to grasp the important concepts and therefore we have decided to conduct bridge courses before we begin this year’s portions. But we have to start the new academic year at least by August, failing which there will be a significant delay,” the head of a government primary school in Bengaluru said.
The hope is that the textbooks will arrive by August 1. However, it’s unlikely that students will get their textbooks any time soon. Primary and Secondary Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar acknowledged the delay; and said they were likely to reach students in three weeks. “The printing of textbooks has started and students will be able to get them shortly,” he said.
An officials said, “We will be able to finish the complete distribution of all textbooks earliest by August-end. The printers have to supply the textbooks to us; only then we can begin the distribution.”
He explained that there was a delay in finalising the tender for printing. Around 8.23 crore textbooks and workbooks are to be printed for this academic year.
Students, who had a stressful time since the start of the pandemic in 2020, are worried. Usha S., a class 9 student of a private school in Bengaluru said they had already started the new year’s syllabus. “Our teachers are asking us to borrow textbooks from our seniors,” she said.
