Minister wants extra textbooks to be returned to STBB

The Sindh School Education Department has issued directives to all district education officers (DEOs) on the instructions of Minister for Education and Mines & Minerals Development Syed Sardar Ali Shah. The guidelines mandate that surplus textbooks, apart from those in use at government schools, must be returned to the Sindh Textbook Board (STBB).

In a statement, the minister said the move aims to assess the accurate requirement for books, prevent wastage, and curb potential illegal sales. “Returning extra books is essential to understanding the actual demand and addressing issues like unauthorized sales,” he remarked.

The education department has also instructed officials to submit details of the textbook distribution over the past three years, as provided by the STBB. Minister Shah emphasized the need for self-auditing the book supply process to ensure transparency and accountability.

He further urged the activation of book banks in schools, directing the DEOs to inspect existing book banks and ensure headmasters and headmistresses are responsible for their establishment and maintenance. He called for monitoring the return of books at the end of the academic year to ensure their availability for students in the following session.

“Returning surplus books to the textbook board will allow the board to ensure the redistribution of books to other schools as per their needs. Additionally, based on the count of remaining books, the number of books printed in the coming years can also be reduced.”

Highlighting the rising enrollment rates in government schools due to improvements in quality, Minister Shah stressed the importance of long-term planning, especially given the increasing costs of printing textbooks.

“Teachers must encourage students to care for their used books and preserve them for future upcoming students’ use. Setting up book banks in schools is not only cost-effective but also an eco-friendly initiative that fosters environmental responsibility among students,” he added.