Phase II of textbook distribution in Kerala on schedule

After the concerns over the delay of printing and distribution of textbooks at government-run schools in Kerala took a decidedly political turn, state education minister, PK Abdu Rabb has said that the printing and distribution processes would be completed by September 30 and October 15 respectively.

22 Aug 2015 | By Dibyajyoti Sarma

PrintWeek India has reported extensively on the textbook ‘crisis’ in Kerala in the last few months, where the opposition had alleged that instead of printing the books at the state-run press, the work was outsourced to private players for political and monetary reasons.  
 
Rabb said the textbooks printed in the second phase were needed in schools only by November 1. The minister said he had chaired two rounds of meetings to review the progress of the second phase of printing and distribution. About the delay, Rabb said it occurred due to the lapses on the part of the printing and stationery department.
 
“There were lapses on the part of the printing and stationery department in processing the files regarding procurement of paper. Also, repeated queries put up by the finance department on the files further delayed the process,” Rabb added.
 
Earlier, in June 2015, a controversy broke out with the Kerala government’s decision to outsource the printing of textbooks, instead of ignoring the proposals to enhance the efficiency of state-owned Kerala Books and Publications Society (KBPS), which was created exclusively to print textbooks.
 
Later, on 8 July 2015, the KBPS, the government-owned press at Kakkanad in Ernakulam district of Kerala, in charge of the printing of the textbooks, told the media that they will be completing the task by 18 July.