Paktika schools still without textbooks

SHARAN (Pajhwok): More than six months into their academic year, students of primary schools are still facing an acute shortage of textbooks in southeastern Paktika province, officials said on Monday.

Principal of Hazrat Bilal High School Abdul Hamid said the students of sixth to 12^th classes had been provided with some books, but pupils of first to fifth grades were faced with a shortage.

Abdul Rauf, a student of 4^th class, said only five of his mates had textbooks. Education officials had pledged to provide every student with a complete set of books but that promise had not been kept, he lamented.

Mohammadullah Himatyar, the spokesman for the education department, shifted blame to the ministry concerned for the shortage of textbooks in the province.

He said the ministry officials had promised to deliver books in time but the commitment was not honoured. A few containers of books reached the province recently. The books would be distributed to students, he added.  

Meanwhile, Kabir Haqmal, the Education Ministry spokesman, said they had started distribution of primary classes’ books to all provinces, including Paktika. Within two months every school will be provided with books, he vowed.

nh/rm/mud

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