At 9,768 schools islandwide:

Textbooks distribution today

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE

Today is Textbooks Distribution Day in 9,768 schools throughout the country. The main events of books distribution day will be held at Nawala, Nugegoda Janadhipathi Balika Vidyalaya.

Students will be handed over school textbooks following a ceremony at each school.

Printing and transportation process of school textbooks has now been completed 98.2 per cent including Jaffna, the Commissioner General for Education Publications, W.M.N.J. Pushpakumara said.

"The required textbooks have already been sent to 1024 textbooks distribution centres which were mainly set up at zonal education offices. Principals or their representatives can collect the textbooks from these centres while the Education Department has already sent textbooks to 740 schools including National Schools and schools which have more than 2,000 students".

Since all the required textbooks under 352 book titles have been sent to the distribution centres in time, there won't be any deficiency any more. However if there is any deficiency the principals or representatives can collect the required books from the Education Publications Department.

A slight deficiency may occur since there are some identified errors in `textbooks requirements lists' made by the principals, Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has taken steps to introduce a mechanism aimed at avoiding damage to school textbooks by getting the best use of books which are distributed free of charge each year by the Government.

Basically the Government allocates a considerable amount every year from the National Budget for the provision of free school textbooks to students throughout the country including Jaffna.

"Therefore, attention of all educational authorities was drawn by the Education Ministry towards the importance of making maximum use of textbooks and avoid damage."

Accordingly, the Ministry of Education has already issued a Circular to all principals and educational officials advising them to take measures to reduce the cost of textbooks by way of using them while bringing down the rate of misuse. After being implemented the mechanism at school level to encourage reuse of textbooks and achieve minimum re-use rate of 35 per cent.

Under the guidelines of the circular, the Principals will summon a meeting of schoolchildren today at each school to mark the 'Books Distribution Day' on which the principals will advise the students on the value of using textbooks with great care.

"Considering transportation and printing costs, the Ministry of Education has estimated that nearly Rs. 600 million could be saved by reusing textbooks" Pushpakumara said.