THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government on Tuesday reiterated that all the schools would get the textbooks by Thursday. Replying to a submission in the Assembly, Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb said that the government has not reneged on the assurance given in the Assembly as well as before the High Court with respect to the distribution of textbooks.
“All the proceedings with respect to the distribution has been completed. The government has been doing everything possible for the speedy distribution of textbooks,” he said.
Stating that the delay was caused as the aided school managements failed to collect and distribute the textbooks on time, he said that nine lakh of the 10 lakh books to be distributed was for the unaided schools. Only 1.6 lakh textbooks remained to be distributed to the government and aided schools, he added. Rabb attributed the delay to changes made to the curriculum and certain technical issues that crept up at the Kerala Books and Publications Society. Raising the issue through a submission, R Rajesh of the CPM had alleged that the government had violated its assurance given to the House and also to the Court. “The Minister had told the Assembly that textbooks would be distributed by July 20. Though the issue was raised in the Assembly thrice and the High Court also intervened in the issue, the government has not kept its word,” he said.
Further quoting Quran, he said that the holy book had called upon the believers to read and learn, where as the students are being denied this very right.
The issue was allowed to be presented as a submission after the Speaker denied the Opposition’s notice for an adjournment motion on the issue.
Deputy leader of the Opposition Kodiyeri Balakrishnan alleged that the government has misled the House with respect to the distribution of school textbooks. “The government had informed the House that the distribution of textbooks will be completed by July 20. But in the affidavit to the High Court, the government had stated that the distribution would be completed by July 23. Thus the government has misled the House,” he said.
Textbooks Reach Schools
T’Puram: The distribution of textbooks to government and aided schools has been completed, DPI-in-charge Johns V John said. “The textbooks have reached the school societies on Tuesday evening by post. Unaided schools have been asked to collect the textbooks from the distribution hubs in the districts.It will be completed in two days,” Johns said.