Schools illegally using textbooks printed by pvt publishers

SURKHET, June 2: Though the government has put a ban on printing and distribution of school textbooks by private publishers, three government schools in the mid-western regions have been found using textbooks printed by private publishers.



Schools in Surkhet, Dailekh and Jajarkot have been using textbooks printed by private publishers as the latter have been paying hefty commissions to school management. The Janak Education Materials Centre (JEMC) is entirely to blame for this, say stakeholders. [break]



Last year, Sajha Publication, which is entrusted with distributing books in the three regions, had distributed books worth Rs 30.5 million in Surkhet and Dailekh districts. But this year it sold textbooks worth only Rs. 15 million.



Ganesh Shrestha, chief of Sajha publication in Surkhet, said, “As the book dealers are paying hefty commissions to schools, textbooks at Sajha publication remain unsold.”



“The private publishers provide 20 to 25 percent commissions on sale of textbooks. But Sajha publication provides only nine percent. So, many schools are forcing students to buy textbooks printed by private publishers,” said Sher Bahadur Khadka, president of Surkhet-based Federation of Books and Stationary Entrepreneurs.



He said the book dealers started selling textbooks printed by private publishers after JEMC failed to meet the demand.

Meanwhile, District Education Officer Ram Prasad Upadhyaya said it is difficult to stop the schools from using textbooks printed by private publishers.

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