The Janak Education Materials Center (Janak Shiksha Samagri Kendra Limited) has started preparations after the government announced to provide free textbooks to students studying up to class 12. The center has made it clear that there will be no problem in implementing the government's commitment as sufficient manpower and printing machines are available.
It has been announced to provide free textbooks to the students studying up to class 12 in the budget of the Fiscal Year 078/79 made public on May 29. Following the announcement, students in grades 11 and 12 will receive free textbooks. Earlier, textbooks have been provided to students up to class 10. The government has adopted class 12 as a school level.
Anil Kumar Jha, general manager of Janak Shiksha, said that the government was able to provide the books on time. Janak Shiksha is currently printing textbooks in Nepali, English, and social subjects for class 11. Janak Shiksha had also published and distributed textbooks for compulsory subjects of class 11 last year.
The Curriculum Development Center has stated that the textbook of class 12 is yet to be approved for printing. The government has already decided to start a new school session in Ashad. In this case, Janak Shiksha has claimed that there will be no problem in delivering new books to the students as soon as the new academic session starts.
Janak Shiksha has started printing and distributing books to students studying up to class 10 in community schools. A total of 17.7 million books for classes 4 to 10 have been printed. General Manager Jha informed that it has been sent to the state office for its distribution. Janak has provincial offices in Biratnagar, Janakpur, Bharatpur, Pokhara, Butwal, Nepalgunj, Surkhet and Dhangadhi.
The three districts of Kathmandu Valley have opened the way for the government printing press to work with minimum manpower from 9 pm to 9 am by placing banners or prints on vehicles.
However, General Manager Jha said that it would not be possible to deliver the book to the students. It is said that it will be possible to deliver books to the students if book shops are opened in all the districts or if the sellers of Janak Shiksha are allowed to trade books.
