In a major setback for the education sector, privately-owned printing companies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have halted the production of school textbooks.
The companies, which were commissioned by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Textbook Board (KPTB), have taken this drastic step due to the provincial government’s reluctance to release funds.
This development has raised concerns about a potential delay in the provision of books to students as the new academic year approaches.
In a shocking revelation, it has come to light that the provincial government has failed to provide the KPTB with a single penny from the projected costs of Rs. 10 billion for printing 60 million textbooks for the academic year 2023-24.
This academic year is set to begin on 1 April, leaving little time for the government to release the funds and for the textbooks to be printed and distributed on time.
The KPTB has stated that it has been issuing reminders to the finance department every week for the immediate release of funds. This is being done in order to ensure that the books are printed and distributed on time and to prevent any loss in the students’ learning.
The lack of funding from the government has put the production and distribution of textbooks in jeopardy, and the KPTB is urging the government to take immediate action to prevent any delay in the provision of textbooks to students.
