KATHMANDU, Aug 10: Although the country has a long history of book publication, a clear policy regarding it is still missing.

This vacuum has led to the realization among the people concerned that the nation is incurring a big financial loss in absence of the substantive policies for the publication of books.

The policy is urgently required to improve the quality of education, to systematize the book market and to strengthen the state coffers, they said.

Various nations in the world have implemented the National Book Policy based on the UNESCO guidelines, but this has not happened yet in Nepal.

However, Nepal is not totally unaware of the urgency of introducing a National Book Policy. It is noted that in the past, the draft of the Policy was prepared, but as it is claimed the document remained unendorsed because of vested interests of some people.

The lack of identification of vivid areas of national interests and needs, haphazard publication of guess papers, guidebooks, solutions, and practice books of school and college syllabus against the State's recommendation is common. The prices of such publications are generally unusual and they are capable of cheating readers, students and guardians.

Krishna Ram Karki of Nawa Prabhat Book Store said the National Book Policy was needed to contain such practices, also violating the curriculum recommended by the Curriculum Development Center.

It does not require a counter argument to say that haphazard publication of books and their supplies have caused a loss of million rupees to the State, according to him.   

Nepal Books Association General Secretary Mahendra Prakash Siwakoti said a high-level nine-member National Book Policy Draft Formulation Task Force had prepared the National Policy Draft in 2073 BS.

The initiation was taken during the term of the then education minister Girirajmani Pokhrel. But the document went missing from the ministry.  The task force formed under the convenorship of Hari Govinda Luintel was assigned to develop the draft. He also stressed the need for enhancing the competency of the State-owned Janak Education Materials Center (JEMC).

Moreover, the Policy is needed to implement the publication procedures effectively.

The Association said the attempts to abort the Policy intended to meet the vested interests of  certain people, discourage the JEMC and promote the private sector unethically. It has alleged the roles of government employees and publication mafia in the delay in introducing the National Book Policy.

It has submitted an application at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and other bodies demanding action against those involved in commission mongering in the book publications and hampering the domestic book market.

It has demanded the prompt endorsement of the draft of the National Book Policy, 2073 BS.

(RSS)

 
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• policy