New Year, new books. National Textbook Festival marked special jubilation among the students who were given textbooks free of cost across the country on Sunday.
The students were seen very joyful and smiling after receiving the new books.
Bahalul Ahmed Fahim, a Class VIII student of Nilkhet High School, said, “It was very enjoyable that I got all the new textbooks on the first day of the New Year. I thank the government for giving us books.”
Rabby Hossain, a student of Hafez Razzak Jameya Islamia Madrasha was overwhelmed with joy to receive his textbooks from the Education Minister.
“I am very, very happy,” he said. “I never thought that I would take new books from the Education Minister.”
Rifat Hossain, who brought his son, a third standard student of Government Laboratory School, to collect his books.
Rakib Ahmed, a Class-V student of University Laboratory School and College, said, “I am very happy getting the new books.”
His father Shamsul Islam told The New Nation that it was very exciting moment when my son was receiving books from the finance minister.
Education Ministry and Primary and Mass Education Ministry organised the National Textbook Festival in separate places in the capital.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid inaugurated the festival on behalf of the Education Ministry at the Azimpur Government School and College ground while Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith introduced the day as the Chief Guest at Dhaka University Playground. Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman Fizar was present there.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said, the quality of the textbooks will be the next challenge of the government.
“It is also a big challenge for us to ensure the standard of the education,” he said.
“Previously, textbook distribution could take up to three months,” said the Education Minister. “Many students dropped out or slipped through the cracks. Now, we hand them their new text books on the very first day of the year.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated free textbook distribution programme by giving textbooks to the students at a function in her official Ganobhaban residence on Saturday.
A total of 36 crore 21 lakh 82 thousand and 285 textbooks will be distributed among the 4,26,00,000 pre-primary to secondary level students for 2017 academic session.
Alongside the regular textbooks, Braille books will be available for visually disabled students and pre-school educational materials will be available in the native language of 5 ethnic minority groups and learning development guides and study guides will be available for teachers.
