The supply of free textbooks to all primary and upper primary schools in the beginning of the session by the School and Mass Education (SME) department under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has repeatedly failed in the State reflecting the inefficiency of the officials.
Although the school session has begun since April, many schools in Keonjhar district are yet to receive the required number of text books supplied by the Government till date.
“We have already distributed almost all books covering all schools in the district and only 10 per cent of books remains to be sent,” claimed District Project Officer, SSA, Purna Chandra Sethy.
But if this is a fact then why students in many primary schools of Jhumpura, Joda, Banspal,Harichandanpur, Ghatgaon and Telkoi are yet to get the new books. Where have the books gone, questioned Progressive Citizens’ Forum president Dhirendra Rout.
The OPEPA statistics shows that there are 3,383 schools under the SSA, Keonjhar district where 3,03,300 students are enrolled. All these students should be provided with the required set of books free of cost by the Government and that too by the start of a session. The SME department had changed a few books in Classes-4, 5 and 8 which are yet to reach the schools. The department has always declared to make the required books available in the beginning of school session but it has never been made possible.
By July, the schools have actually received hardly 50 per cent of the required text books. Hence, many children have lost interest in studies due to non availability of books. It is alleged that mostly the books arrive very late in the blocks, out of which most quantity of books are simply sold to brokers (kabadiwalas) afterwards showing false distribution to schools. Meanwhile, a probe into the whole affair is demanded.