KARACHI, Jan 9: The Sindh Education department is considering to make the existing system of procuring printing paper and of getting published its text books transparent to end the monopoly of a few registered publishers, the sources in the department said.

It is learnt that the high-ups in the department have agreed to do away with the present method of getting the text books published from only those private publishers who are already registered with the board. At present, books are allocated every year to the publishers engaged by the board and as such new publishers are not entertained, said the source.

Speaking at a briefing by the chairman of the Sindh Text Book Board (STB) on Thursday, the provincial Education Minister, Irfanullah Khan Marwat, endorsed a proposal by the senior officials of the department that the orders for printing of the books be announced directly by the STB, through open bids, after advertising these in the daily newspapers.

The minister said that the process should be transparent.

It was considered during the meeting that the STB could go for open bids after completion of the tenure the existing contracts with the publishers already registered with the board, which were valid, in many cases, for another two years, the sources said.

The minister was informed that at present the STB was purchasing locally produced printing paper worth over Rs150 million, every year, from three suppliers. In view of the limitations of the suppliers and the high prices of paper, it was resolved in the meeting that the STB chairman should also include foreign bidders while issuing tenders for the purchase of the paper, in future, it was learnt.

Referring to the delay in printing of the textbooks, the minister directed the board to ensure the in time printing of books, in order to avoid embarrassment for the government and to save the precious time of the students, as well.

The chairman informed the minister that at present the STB was printing 20 per cent of the titles by its own, while the rest were being printed by the private publishers, upon which, the minister advised the chairman to make the board’s own press functional to check the “delaying tactics” adopted by some of the publishers for earning undue profit.

The education minister also called for improving the library at STB, which was in a very bad shape.

It was also decided at the briefing that new board of governors of the board comprising six members, including three non-official members and three official members be appointed soon. The tenure of the BOG has already expired on Dec 20, 2002.

Till November the STB has earned Rs283mn, while the expenditure till the same date were found Rs236mn. During the year 2002-2003, STB printed about 19mn copies of 313 titles for students of Class I to XII.