JOIN USThe state government has kept its record intact by not supplying textbooks to schools once again this year, on the first day of schools.
The government has been repeatedly announcing — before the start of every academic year — that textbooks would be available at schools on the reopening day itself. But, it is reluctant to break its own record. So, the district has received only 4,27,028 books against the need of 6,21,564 books.
The government supplies books free of cost to all students of government and aided schools. Managements of unaided schools should pay the costs as per the needs of their students and avail textbooks from the education department.
There are 96,108 students in government schools (from first to 10th standard), 19,133 students in aided schools and 29,107 students in unaided schools in the district.
First language
The students have not yet got even the first language Kannada textbooks for tenth standard. Shortage of textbooks in Social Studies, Science-II for English Medium, etc is another story.
Officials of the education department said textbooks have not been supplied as there was a delay in printing them.
Only for fourth standard, all books have been supplied. Nali-Kali Kannada for first standard, mathematics for Urdu medium second standard, Kannada medium environmental studies for third standard, Kannada for second semester of fifth standard, Kannada for second semester of sixth standard, Kannada for first semester of seventh standard, social studies for eighth standard, mathematics and social studies for ninth standard, etc have not been supplied.
The textbooks are being supplied from the office of education department on the basis of the requisition sent by headmasters/mistress of schools. According to sources, Kannada textbooks top the list of missing books.
30 pc attendance in Ch’nagar
On the first day of school, this academic year, only 30 per cent attendance was witnessed in Chamarajanagar district on Wednesday. Even though schools reopened in the presence of teachers and members of School Development Monitoring Committees, the attendance was not satisfactory on the first day. Compared with attendance of students in schools in urban areas, it was better in rural areas.
Teachers welcomed students and distributed sweets in most schools. Authorities fear the attendance would be affected on Thursday also due to the national bundh call given by various political parties and organisations.