Textbooks shortage prompts MoE to call for printing tenders
View(s):Shortage of textbooks in schools has prompted the Ministry of Education (MoE) to call for tenders from printers islandwide. Last month the MoE published a tender notice in the State newspapers of 30.01.2018, requesting printing companies to submit applications to print textbooks for the Education Department.
The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said the Government is hurriedly calling for tenders because most students in government schools have not received their textbooks. “Around 50% of students in State schools have not received their textbooks,” he said.
CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said the Government has allocated Rs 4,500 million in the 2018 Budget for textbooks and still the MoE has failed to utilise it for this purpose. Earlier, the Government said it would call on the students to re-use their textbooks. However, most of the books returned were in tatters, which prompted the Government to call for fresh tenders.
Closing date for the tender is Feb14, 2018. The CTU said that, one month into the academic term, students have been deprived of their textbooks. “It is already late, when will they be provided with the books? This will definitely hamper the children’s education,” he said.