Free textbooks for all classes to reach schools next week

Chennai

Every year, the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation will be entrusted to print textbooks from elementary level to higher secondary school stage. However, there was a slight delay in printing textbooks and other related activities this year due to the lockdown imposed in the wake of COVID-19 threat.

A senior official from the School Education Department told DT Next on Wednesday that this year also free textbooks will be provided to all students of government and government-aided schools at a cost of Rs 195.25 crore.

Stating that more than 70 lakh students in the State-run schools will be benefited under the free textbook scheme this year, he said as the printing of textbooks was over, it has been instructed that all the district education officers collect the textbooks and send them to respective regions from June 22.

“They have been instructed to follow strict social distancing norms including wearing of face masks while transporting the textbooks to the schools,” he said adding they should also ensure that headmasters and staff should be available to receive the books as per the requirement.

Pointing out that the required textbooks will reach all the schools on or before June 30, the official, however, said that since intensified lockdown will be in place in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpet districts till June 30, the textbook distribution in these districts will begin from July 1.

Similarly, free notebooks will also be distributed to all the students of Classes 1 to 10 in the State-run schools at a cost of Rs 107.20 crore. “The work of transporting notebooks will begin once textbooks are delivered,” he added.