The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Textbook Board (KPTBB) has introduced advanced security labels on textbooks to curb illegal reproduction, protect intellectual property rights, and ensure students receive authentic, high-quality educational material.
Officials said the new security labels contain verifiable features that help distinguish genuine textbooks from pirated copies circulating in the market.
The initiative aims to strengthen quality control and restore confidence in officially published books.
KPTBB prints around 35 million textbooks annually for government schools, distributed free of cost, while approximately 1.7 million books are produced for private schools through general sales.
However, widespread piracy in recent years has caused significant revenue losses and damaged the credibility of official publications.
Pirated books often contain printing errors, poor-quality paper, and weak binding, negatively affecting students’ learning experiences.
Officials noted that the absence of an effective monitoring system previously allowed illegal reproduction to grow unchecked.
KPTBB Chairman Abidullah Kakakhel said security labels will now be placed on textbooks at multiple stages of production and distribution.
Newly printed books for the upcoming academic year starting in April will carry the labels, while existing stocks with the board and authorized sellers will also be labeled.
Booksellers and distributors have been instructed to verify the presence of security labels before selling textbooks. The board has warned that strict legal action will be taken against anyone dealing in unlabeled or counterfeit books.
Officials say the move will help eliminate piracy, safeguard intellectual property, and ensure students across the province receive reliable and accurate textbooks.
