KARACHI  - The Sindh Education Department has once again failed to get the textbooks published on the time due to its lack of interest in the affairs of Sindh Textbook Board, The Nation has learnt.
Once again the new academic session will start with shortage of books in Sindh; the Sindh government has removed Social Studies subject from curriculum of the government schools from class one to four this year, and will introduce general knowledge in which general science will also be included, a source in the education department said. 
Students belonging to private schools will also face the scarcity of Urdu textbooks, Islamiyat books and Easy Sindhi books, published by STBB, while students of IX and X classes will be facing the shortage of all textbooks published by STBB during the upcoming session. 
According to the sources, the administration of STBB has yet to complete the allocation of books for the publishers, while the new academic session will start from the next month. Sources said that students either studying in government’s school system or private will be facing the dire shortage of books in the province from beginning of the new academic session, which is scheduled from April, 2014.
The leading publishers are of the view that they have not been given allocation of books yet, without which the books cannot be published. One of the prominent publishers, declined to be named, said that the education department has once again lost very precious time to get the textbooks in the market on time. He said that publishers will prefer to publish the free textbooks for the students of the public schools, while the books for private schools will be published later.
Textbooks will be distributed free of cost among thousands of students studying in the government schools in Sindh.
He said, “I am confirmed that the students of public schools as well private schools will be facing dire shortage of books in the upcoming academic session.”
President Peak Private Schools Association, Sindh, Haider Ali showed his serious concern over the lethargic behavior of the government towards education, and said that every year Sindh Education Department and STBB caused considerable delay in the publication of textbooks for the new session.  The STBB is working without any permanent leadership for the last many years but the provincial government has no interest in the matters of the book board.