NCTB plans to supply papers for textbooks

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) is planning to supply paper to the press for printing textbooks for the primary and high school students of 2026.

The NCTB officials are describing the initiative as part of their attempt to provide quality textbooks in time from next year. It will save them, they hope, from the hassles they are facing this year regarding the distribution of textbooks.

Besides, in order to lessen the number of additional books that are wasted every year, the NCTB has also undertaken an initiative to develop a software so that the schools can place textbook demand directly to the NCTB authorities. The software is expected to facilitate a check and balance process for scrutinising the demands placed by the educational institutions, said NCTB officials.

Reasons behind the decision
NCTB officials said they came up with the ideas following recent incidents of recovering textbooks from the market. Mentionable, the textbooks are supposed to be distributed free of cost among pre-primary to grade 10 students.

Following the recent recovery of around 19,000 textbooks from the market, the law enforcers and a three-member NCTB team, led by the board’s production controller Prof Mohammad Abu Nasher Tuku, are investigating into the issue.

Informing that the investigation report has been submitted to the NCTB on Saturday last, Prof Abu Nasher Tuku told the Views Bangladesh, “The textbooks, seized from two upazilas, were printed by the government. How the books were supplied to the market could not be known immediately. Law enforcers are investigating into the matter to unearth how the books were supplied to the market.”

Contacted, NCTB Chairman Prof Dr AKM Reazul Hassan said, “Selling school textbooks, supposed to be distributed free of cost, in the market is a punishable offense. NCTB and law enforcement agencies are working to identify those involved in the misdeed. An investigation is being conducted into how these books were supplied to the market.”

“From our past experience, we are suspecting that some printing press owners and officials from upazila education office might be involved in supplying these books to the market. The ongoing investigations will reveal what happened actually,” he added.

According to the NCTB chairman if any upazila education officer is found guilty for the misdeed, he will be punished by authorities concerned. And if any press is found involved, it will be blacklisted and fined.

Commenting on the liabilities of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) and Directorate of Primary Education (DoPE) in this regard, he said as the demand for the textbooks comes through education officers of these directorates, definitely they will have to bear the responsibility.

As there is no director general and director (admin) in DSHE, the Views Bangladesh could not get any comment from the directorate. On the other hand, DoPE Director General Dr Md Abdul Hakim could not be reached through his office number despite multiple attempts.

NCTB plans to supply papers for 2026 textbooks
The quality of paper used for printing the textbooks becomes an issue of criticism almost every year. “So, the board is planning to supply the papers to the printers after collecting from the papermills of the country,” said NCTB Chairman Reazul Hassan.

Eyeing to ensure quality paper, he continued, the NCTB even wants to provide assistance to the importers of the art card, a compulsory material for printing the cover of the books.

About the amendment of the history portion of the textbooks, he said, “As there was scarcity of time, we just removed unnecessary parts and included the July mass-uprising in Bangla textbooks. The textbooks will be revised thoroughly this year.”

A member of the NCTB, seeking anonymity, said that the textbooks will be revised this year in accordance with Textbook Curriculum and tuned in accordance with the spirit of July mass-uprising.

“After supplying the textbooks to the students, the NCTB will start editing/revising the books. The Bangla, English and history and social science textbooks for class four, and five will be revised in accordance with the Textbook curriculum 2021,” the officer added.

Mentionable, the NCTB is providing nearly 41 crore textbooks under 441 categories for the school students across the country this year.