KOHAT, May 4: Sale of textbooks, printed for free distribution in government schools, at the local shops has created a shortage of books in the district.

As in previous year, the books stamped with 'Free, issued by government of NWFP, not for sale' are on offer in private schools as well as in shops.

Parents are forced to buy the books because of the shortage.

The department concerned gets fixed numbers of books printed for government and private schools without proper assessment of the demand.

The students are suffering because some books, particularly of mathematics, English and Urdu and those of eighth, ninth and tenth classes have been out of market for three weeks.Teachers and parents have demanded immediate supply of the books.