SAHIWAL: Dozens of secondary and elementary public schools of Chichawatni and Sahiwal tehsils have not received free textbooks for about 12,000 students of nursery and Class-I.
Although the academic session has started from April 1, books have not reached the schools.
The education department officials claim that have met first demand of free textbooks but there are problem in meeting the second demand forwarded by various public schools.
Talking to Dawn on condition of anonymity, a schoolteacher at the Government High Boys School 110/7-R, Chichawatni, said they had not books for nursery and Class-I. The school had 86 enrolled students in nursery and 80 students were enrolled in Class-I but they had not received books.
According to a source in EDO Education Sahiwal’s office, students of Govt Middle School 111/7-R, Govt Primary School Khachi Balwala and Govt Primary School Danda Sarala of Chichawatni are also waiting for free textbooks.
Sufi Shahzad, a resident of Chak 110/7-R, said many students had not received books yet, adding that the summer vacation was around the corner but the students had no books.
The education officials at office of the district officer (elementary and secondary) confirmed the shortage of books.
Ms Tahira, admin enquiry in-charge, Education Executive District Officer Sahiwal’s office, said the department had supplied books to schools according to their first demand and no books were available in the department warehouses at the moment.
When asked what happened to second demand forwarded by schools’ head for availability of more books, she said the department was already processing the demand.