Ahmedabadcivic schools run without textbooks

Government textbooks seem to be eluding students in primary and high schools in general and Urdu-Hindi medium schools in particular in Ahmedabad. This is in spite of there being no change in syllabus and schools being open since June 10. Textbooks in Urdu medium schools are available only for standard VIII social studies and standard VI mathematics. There is no textbook in sight for Gujarati language,say teachers at Urdu medium schools.

“Textbooks for Urdu medium schools are unloaded at Gomtipur and Jamalpur where Urdu school authorities go daily to inquire about the next arrival. However,they return empty handed without a reply,” said a school teacher.

AMC School Board chairman Jagdish Bhavsar said he had made several requests to the Textbook Board authorities about problems arising because of not getting textbooks on time. Bhavsar agreed late arrival of textbooks would impact academic performance and culminate into overall bad performance of the municipal corporation-run schools.

“The Textbook Board officials tell us the printing is going on and the distribution should start soon,” he said. Board chairman Nitin Pethani said there was no problem in Gujarati medium schools,but he did mention “there may be some problem here or there in the book distribution in other mediums”.