MCD academic session starts, no trace of books

NEW DELHI: More than 20 days after thenew academic session started, Classes I to VI in hundreds of schools run by theMCD are still waiting for their textbooks. Teachers say that barringsome areas in the west and central zones, the new books have not reached most ofthe schools.According to figures present with the Joint PrimaryTeachers Committee (JPTA, a body of MCD school teachers), almost no schools inthe Shahadra north, Shahadra south, and Civil Lines zones have receivedtextbooks yet."Books have not reached 90% of our students till nowand vacations are round the corne," said JPTA president, K KGandhi.According to teachers, lack of books is a bigger problem thistime, as books for all classes are new. The Delhi government had decided todesign and print its own textbooks for Classes I to VIII following a face-offover copyright issues with the NCERT last year. The task had been assigned tothe State Council for Education Research and Training(SCERT).Authorities at SCERT, however, refuse to talk about theissue. "No statement can be given as elections are around the corner," saidSCERT director Janki Rajan.Meanwhile, MCD officials say that bookswill now reach all zones. The delay had apparently been caused due to"procedural requirements"."We have been distributing books as soonas they are available at the Delhi Bureau of Textbooks. Our target is to ensureall titles reach students by next week," said MCD director (primary education)Indira Yadav.Teachers say conducting classes has been difficult asthe new books are not available in the open market.