Delay in delivery of ninth class books perturbs students

ISLAMABAD: The FDE-run schools have been facing shortage of ninth class books, though the session has begun on April 22.

The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), however, said books would be provided to students on Thursday (today).

But teachers fear any further delay in provision of books would affect the students results as the negligence of the authorities concerned has already wasted their time.

“We contact FDE on daily basis to get update about books, but we are told that since the syllabus has been revised, publication of books is taking time,” said a teacher.

FDE claims remaining books to be provided to students today

He said timely printing of books should be ensured to avoid further loss of students time. “The summer vacation will start next month, therefore, books should be provided to students,” said another teacher.

The teacher said that currently only Urdu and Islamiat books were available for ninth class students.

The FDE is being run on adhoc basis since August 2023 after unceremonial removal of the then DG Dr Ikram Ali Malik. Currently, deputy director general Tanveer Ahmed is looking after the affairs of DG office as well.

The acting DG could not be approached for comments over the FDE negligence. However, director academic FDE Riffat Jabeen speaking to Dawn on Wednesday said that the issue of books for ninth class has been resolved.

“Books have been printed and we will deliver to students on Thursday,” she said and added that students faced around one week delay due to technical reasons.

“You know, curriculum for ninth class has been revised. We were given a list of a number of model books of each subject to select best of them. We formed a technical review committee, which after doing a lot of hard work, selected books for FDE students. Then we placed orders to our publisher, National Book Foundation,” she said and added that FDE got required books, which would be provided to the students on Thursday.

She said that to facilitate students and teachers, the books were already available online, “so students have not suffered any loss,” she claimed and added that this issue has been resolved.

In Islamabad, public schooling is being supervised by FDE, which has over 430 schools and colleges.

Meanwhile, students of many private schools due to change of syllabus also facing shortage of books of grade nine.

When contacted, Dr Fazale Mola, President of Principal Association of FDE run schools said that if FDE is saying that books have been arranged for nine graders “that’s is good news for us,” he said and added that due to shortage or non-availability of books for nine graders teachers and students were facing issue. “Though, some chapters of required books were available online and teachers could download them, but learning and teaching from printed books has special taste for students and teachers alike,” he said.

An officer of ministry of education in his written response said that there is no shortage of books of ninth class.

“There is no shortage of 9th class books. More than 70pc textbooks have been delivered and the remaining will be delivered by coming Saturday. Further, five chapters of each title have been uploaded on the website of NBF,” he said.