Children get their new books
As the day began yesterday, children dressed up and rushed to their schools braving the morning chill to receive New Year gifts.
With a new set of textbooks in hand, they cheered at primary and secondary schools across the country after the education ministry distributed them for free marking the start of a new academic year.
Elated, some held those up in the air, some began flipping through the pages. The refreshing smell of new books hung in the air of the premises.
Like the last seven years, the government observed “Textbook Festival Day" at the start of 2017.
There was, however, a unique move this time to distribute more than 77,000 copies of pre-primary textbooks, written in five ethnic languages, to children from the ethnic minorities.
Besides, around 9,000 braille books were distributed to visually impaired students.
Receiving free books, Abir Ahmed, a class-VIII student of Government Laboratory School in the capital's Dhanmondi, said, "We got gifts from our parents on New Year's occasion. But getting the books on the very first day at school is the best gift."
This year, 36.21 crore copies of textbooks will be given to 4.26 crore students of pre-primary, primary, secondary and technical education schools and ebtedai and dakhil madrasas, according to a government estimate.
There were reports that textbooks didn't reach schools in some parts of the country. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid inaugurated the textbooks festival at Azimpur Government Girls School and College in Dhaka around 9:30am by releasing balloons and handing over books.
The premises put on a colourful look. Students from 31 schools sat before a podium wrapped with red and green cloths. They held festoons and balloons in one hand and textbooks in the other.
Many parents and teachers also joined the festival.
A student of the Azimpur Government school, Sumaiya Alam said the joy of reading new textbooks was different.
As the government gave the books on the very first day of the academic session, teachers should start teaching right away so that the syllabus can be completed, said a child's father Mahfuzur Rahman.
Several teachers of the school said new books would encourage students to learn.
In his speech, Nahid said the government was working to improve the quality of textbooks and make them easier for children.
"The biggest challenge before us is to improve the quality of education. And we are working on it."
The minister urged the students to concentrate on their studies to get the best possible education and take the country forward.
Meanwhile, Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman inaugurated the distribution of primary books at the Dhaka University playground with Finance Minister AMA Muhith as the chief guest of the programme.
Advising the students, Muhith said, “Now that you got the books, you seek knowledge and become good human beings. Only then you will be able to contribute to the development of the country.”
In a few cases, not all textbooks reached schools.
Class-IX students in most thanas and upazilas of Chittagong district did not get textbooks on maths, business studies, Islamic religion and moral education and Buddhist religion and moral education.
District Education Officer Hosne Ara Begum told The Daily Star those books would reach the schools in a few days.
In 1,518 institutions, 1.35 crore copies of textbooks were distributed among 10.35 lakh students in the district this year, she added.
In Narayanganj and Bandarganj of Rangpur, class-II and -III students didn't get the full set of textbooks at some schools.
DEVOTEES' ATTACK CHILDREN
Meanwhile, a group of Muslim devotees attacked Durgakumar Govt Primary School in Sylhet during the textbooks festival around 2:00pm yesterday.
The attack was made during a break for Zohr prayer, forcing the school authorities to stop the programme.
Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury, president of the school management committee, said the festival's chief guest, former mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran had left the premises for offering the prayer. A break for the prayer time was announced.
But before the festival's cultural programme could resume, at least 50-60 devotees from Sylhet Collectorate Mosque attacked the school, Manjur said.
Segufta Kaniz Akter, head teacher of the school, said, “We postponed the festival for the prayer but the devotees attacked us, damaged the stage and instruments, which scared the children.”
Faisal Mahmud, deputy commissioner (north) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police, said the attack was carried out probably because children were playing music during the break, which angered the devotees.
Comments