Funds for textbooks received under Samagra Shiksha constitute only 50% of production cost: JKBOSE
Srinagar, Jun 21: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (BOSE) on Saturday said that the additional language subjects do not form part of free textbook- sets owing to lack of budgetary support from the government.
The statement comes days after Greater Kashmir reported about non-availability of Kashmiri textbook in schools for the last few years. As per the JKBOSE statement, language subject including Kashmiri, Dogri , Punjabi, Pahari, Gojri are not included in free distribution of textbooks.
"The additional language subjects are provided to class 1st and 2nd only as funds for these classes are met under district capex plans through concerned chief education officers," the JKBOSE in a statement said. Regarding the printing and production of textbooks, the JKBOSE has said that the cost of textbooks from class 3rd to 8th provided under Samagra Shiksha accounts for only half of the production and printing cost. "Despite insufficient resources all compulsory and main subjects are made available to the students ahead of the time schedule," the statement reads.
Contrary to the schedule notified by the JKBOSE earlier this year, JKBOSE has claimed that textbooks were timely distributed to the schools through concerned CEOs and ZEOs in both the divisions well ahead of start of academic session. "The distribution of textbooks was started on March 8 and 90 percent distribution was completed by mid April," it reads. The JKBOSE has however acknowledged that the schools had to retrieve the used textbooks of previous years amid the delay in complete distribution of textbooks. "The educational institutions have retrieval system of previous textbooks in place, making availability of 10 to 15 percent of textbooks for the new students through this mechanism," JKBOSE said. Despite admitting students were dependent on retrieval system of textbooks, JKBOSE has claimed that it ensured timely distribution of text books notwithstanding change in academic session and shrinking resources.
