Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud has acknowledged that it is uncertain when all students will receive their textbooks for the current academic year. He made the statement on Tuesday while addressing questions from journalists following a meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Government Procurement at the Secretariat.
Explaining the delays, the adviser said: “We started the book printing process late. We had to revise the books, and the syllabus and curriculum had to be redone. The number of books has increased significantly. No books are being printed abroad. This is the first time we are seeing the full extent of the country’s capacity. Naturally, this causes delays.”
He also noted a shortage of necessary materials for book production. “This year, it became evident that even after recovering all the art paper stored in various warehouses, there was still a shortage within the country. Ships carrying art paper have already departed from abroad,” he explained.
When asked for a timeline on when all students would receive their books, Wahiduddin Mahmud said, “I cannot say when everyone will receive all their books.”