Dept claims textbooks supplied, schools cry hoarse

Even as several private schools in the state are yet to get textbooks for the current academic year, the department of primary and secondary education informed the chief minister that the textbook distribution is 100% over.

As per the document available, in a recent review meeting chaired by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy during a discussion on distribution of textbooks, the department submitted a document saying the distribution was 100% complete and books had been dispatched to all districts.

However, the representatives of private school managements allege that they have not received books - including Mathematics and Social Science. “We are yet to get Social Sciences, English First Language and Kannada second language for Class 10, English first language and Kannada second language for Class 6, Mathematics Part 2 for Class 4 and EVS for Class 6 a in city like Bengaluru itself,” says D Shashi Kumar, general secretary of Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka.

The document submitted by department to the chief minister provides a district -wise data saying, 100 per cent textbooks have been dispatched to all districts. “This is a big lie that the officials have told to the chief minister. In fact, there are so many teachers who are texting us and calling us from various districts that they have not got several titles of the book. Now after giving wrong reports to the CM, who will take the responsibility of delivering the textbooks on time?”, Shashi Kumar wanted to know.