September 20, 2007	Thursday	Ramazan 07, 1428

HYDERABAD, Sept 19: Several books of Sindh Textbook Board (STB) remained unavailable in market for private school students despite the fact that the new academic session began more than a month back in the province.

During inquiries with sources associated with STB, various reasons came to the fore that led to delay in printing of textbooks and their subsequent delivery in market for sale.

One of the reasons is stated to be late allocation by successive STB chairmen until incumbent chairman Shamsuddin Solangi took over the charge who ensured allocation to STB’s registered publishers.

Other reasons are attributed to “inclination” of outgoing chairmen to either get the watermarked paper imported or get them printed abroad after buying paper in Indonesia.

Informed sources said that books’ allocation, their printing and availability in the market is required to be ensured according to relevant provisions 150 days before commencement of new academic session that now in Sindh is August. Schools opened from mid-August.

Going by this schedule, a source said, the books ought to be in market by July 30, because no less than seven years back this practice used to be strictly followed by STB managements as well as publishers and then such shortage was not witnessed. Now late allocation has become a routine thanks to some vested interests of STB authorities concerned which did it at the cost of students’ future.

Parents and students continued to shunt between one shop to other to seek books.

According to a survey, book of mathematics (III, IV, V, VI, VII), Asan Sindhi (VIII), Science (I, II, III, IV, V, VI), Social Studies, (III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII), Urdu (IX, XI), Pakistan Studies (IX, XII), Biology (IX, XII), Chemistry (XI), Islamiyat (VII, VIII), Urdu (XI, XII), etc are not available.

Books of Sindhi-IV, Islamiyat-XI, Mathematics-X, Biology-XI, Chemistry (IX) remained in short supply as they disappeared soon after first stock was sold by booksellers and since then these are not available.

The STB has ensured supply of textbooks to government schools which are distributed free of cost. Surprisingly these books are printed by the same publishers who publish them for private schools also.

“Outgoing chairman Aziz Mehranvi had planned to get watermarked paper imported from Indonesia”, said a source. Tender was also floated in the press and such proposal was also floated reportedly in board of governors of STB but when talks didn’t succeed with suppliers, the idea was dropped. He was then succeeded by Mohammad Ali Shaikh, who cancelled the tender and decided to get textbooks printed in Indonesia. It led to a hue and cry by local industry actors and then plan was shelved and Sheikh was also replaced.

Then came Mazhar Ali Siddiqui but he didn’t take any initiative for around 2-1/2 months to ensure allocation to publishers although a source claimed that paper was available in the STB godowns and board could have kick started printing of books much before commencement of new academic year. This wrangling within the board began late last year and continued till mid May when allocation of books was ensured by present chairman.

Sindh chief minister Dr.Arbab Ghulam Rahim took notice of the fact and CM’s inspection team then finalised purchased of paper that was procured from three suppliers including Premier and Mandiyali of Punjab province. Watermark paper was available in market for printing of books for private school’s but for free distribution non watermarked paper was available.

Around 200 publishers are affiliated with STB but since their registration renews annually so every around 100 of them remain in the field for printing of books and they are allocated books given their past performance regarding ensuring on time provision of textbooks. “Normally procurement of paper is to begin from new fiscal year but it is normally delayed,” said a source.

“Our industry would have been closed had paper been imported or books printed in Indonesia by STB”, said present chairman STB Shamsuddin Solangi when asked why idea of printing textbooks in Indonesia was dropped.

“We are penalising publishers who have failed to deliver books in market,” he said He said that out of 313 titles, 32 are not available. He said since free distribution books are purchased immediately by government that’s why they are printed quickly and then publishers begin printing for private schools.