Distribution of free textbook begins

New textbook distribution among primary and secondary school students began across the country on Monday, reports UNB.

The festival was held at 10 am on the premises of National Government Primary School in the capital's Mirpur.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Ministry Md Zakir Hossain was present at the event as the chief guest.

Secretary Farid Ahmed was present as special guest with Director General of the Directorate of Primary and Mass Education Shah Rezwan Hayat in the chair.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday launched the distribution of free textbooks for the academic year 2024.

According to the Ministry of Education, although there was no central distribution programme for secondary level text books, different institutions across the country are distributing books among the students.

Textbook distribution activities will continue until afternoon on the day and all students will get their books, the ministry said.

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) said that it has delivered 100 per cent books up to class seven to the upazilas.

The upazila education office is coordinating and distributing the books as per the demand of the educational institutions. But 20-25% of books for class eight and nine are still not printed.

The rest of the books will be printed and delivered to the students this month, NCTB said.

The ministries concerned have taken necessary steps to distribute 30,70,83,517 copies of new textbooks among 3,81,28,324 students throughout the country.

The government has so far distributed over 464,78,29,883 copies of free textbooks among students up to secondary levels across the country since 2010.

Since 2017, the government has been distributing braille books among visually impaired students alongside distributing Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Garo and Sadri version books among students from the ethnic groups to study in their mother languages.