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Quoting knowledgeable sources, a Recorder Report disclosed a pathetic situation the other day that despite the commencement of the new academic session the Sindh Textbook Board (STB) has failed to help the students of classes I to VIII to get the prescribed textbooks from the market.
Allegedly due to misappropriation of allocated funds of Rs 700 million and Rs 350 million each for the purchase of paper and printing respectively, it could not also meet its obligation to provide free textbooks to the needy students before August 15.
The basic cause of malfunctioning of the system has been traced to differences between the high-ups of the department on key issues such as purchase of paper and printing of books and too frequent transfers of higher officials.
As pointed out in the news report, the entire work at the STB had remained disturbed during the last six months, basically because of rapid changes at the top, so much so that it saw three different persons as chairmen within such a short period of time.
It started with retirement of STB chairman Aziz Mehranvi on January 15, 2007. His successor, Mohammad Ali Shaikh, is stated to have rejected the tender for paper, costing Rs 350 million, although it had already been approved by his predecessor. The matter did not stop at that.
As the serial of disarray at the STB moved forward, Mazhar Ali Shaikh, who replaced Mohammad Ali Shaikh, could not take effective steps for improving the performance of STB. And now that Shamsuddin Solangi occupies the top slot in the STB, things appear to have eventually come to their head.
Due to too frequent changes at the top during the last eight months, in the absence of proper supervision the lower staff found little resistance to their temptation for misconduct. According to an earlier announcement by the STB itself, the printing of textbooks was to be completed before June 30, 2007 and distribution was to begin before the end of July.
It has now been stated that stock of textbooks of General Science, Urdu and Mathematics for primary classes, including classes VII and VIII worth Rs 20 million, were completely destroyed in the spell of rain that hit the city last month. Consequently, the students remain yet deprived of free books that ought to have been provided by the Sindh government before August 15.
Worse, a large number of students along with their parents, are reported to have tried their luck at Urdu Bazar Karachi to purchase the courses books, but had to return disillusioned. It will also be noted that publishers cannot release the books to shops in Urdu Bazar before STB as this would be a violation of their agreement.
Whatever the sins of omission and commission at the STB, such sad state of affairs cannot but bring a bad name to the provincial government, which already carries a reputation of apathy to the education sector development. Needless to point out, it will be in the fitness of things for the Sindh government to tackle the disarray at the Sindh Textbook Board before it is too late, for the students.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2007

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