Delay in printing text books due to power cuts, scarcity of paper, accessories and diesel: Comm. General

There is a delay in printing school textbooks due to the shortage of paper and other related accessories, Educational Publications Department Commissioner General P.N. Ilaperuma said.

He told the Daily Mirror that there is also a delay in the distribution of printed text books to schools due to the current fuel crisis in the country.

"The present power
power interruption has made significant impact on textbook printing." Printing of textbooks in the days before the COVID-19 pandemic was not an issue.

"Several sections of the state printing corporation and private printers have closed due to COVID pandemic. Therefore, the completion the projects were delayed. However, 45% of the school text books were printed at the state Printing Corporation, he said.

Some 38 million text books are to be distributed among the schoolchildren in the country. He stated that 32.5 million textbooks would be printed this year.

The government has spent Rs.2,338 million on printing text books, including those books which have been given to the children.Textbooks were distributed to provincial book stores and directly to several schools for a total of 34.8 million (91.8%). There are 31.6 million (97%) text books to be printed.

However, the Publications Department is to print the remaining text books before the next school term begins.

He requested the printers to provide the text books before March 31. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)