CHENNAI: Authorities of the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Education Services Corporation (TNTBESC) have swung into action to ensure second term textbooks, for children of Class I to IX, reach the schools well before schedule.
As many as 1.23 crore books will be distributed free of cost to students studying in about 35,000 government schools, while about 15,000 private schools account for 65.26 lakh books. The private institutions purchase the books.
The second term commences in October after the schools close for a brief vacation as the first term examinations get over in the third week of September. Ensuring books in the hands of students when they sit in the classes on the first day of the second term is of utmost importance.
“Ninety per cent of the textbooks meant for distribution to government school students and sale in private schools have already reached the office of the Chief Education Officers (CEOs) and the District Elementary Education Officers (DEEOs),” D Jagannathan, Managing Director of TNTBESC, told Express.
He added the books meant for sale to private schools have been stocked at the godowns attached to the regional offices of TNTBSEC located at 23 places.
A dedicated team, under the supervision of the CEO, has been constituted in each of the 32 districts to carry out the job of ensuring prompt distribution of textbooks in their respective districts. The teams go about the job without involving either the headmaster or the teachers.
According to Jagannathan, “A route chart has been drawn for ferrying the textbooks in the districts by hiring vehicles. The Corporation will bear the costs of transportation and labour charges.” He recalled that the Corporation made strenuous efforts to successfully complete the job of distributing the textbooks on time to schools across the State in June too, when the schools reopened after the summer vacation.
The extended vacation had given the authorities a little breathing time in finishing off their job in a creditable manner.
Class No of textbooks (in lakhs)
I 17
II 17
III 18
IV 19
V 18
VI 21
VII 21
VIII 21
IX 30