RAWALPINDI: Majority of students in Rawalpindi district have been attending classes without textbooks for the last 23 days as the academic session began from April 1.

The Punjab government was supposed to provide free of cost books to all students before the start of the session, but this year it couldn’t meet the demand resulting into shortage of books for hundreds of nine and ten graders.

Tehsil Murree and Kotli Sattiyan are the worst hit areas where books of mathematics, physics and chemistry could not be supplied in full.

“I have taken the issue with the office concerned and even visited Lahore in this regard, but to no avail,” said Mohammad Kaleem, in-charge warehouse Murree.

He said that Tehsil Murree had sought 1,000 books of mathematics, chemistry and physics but it was provided around 600 books of each subject.

“After collecting old books from the students who moved to class 10 we have fulfilled the demand of nine graders but we do not have any solution for 10 graders,” he added.

Talking to Dawn, the in-charge Kotli Sattiyan warehouse, Shabir Satti said that in his tehsil physics, chemistry and mathematics books of 10th class were short.

“We have sent our request to the office concerned, let’s see what happens,” he said.

Executive District Officer (EDO), education, Qazi Zahoorul Haq admitted that there was a shortage of books but now government has ‘provided’ required books.

When asked that hundreds of students of Tehsil Murree and Kotli Sattiyan were still without the books he said that he would contact the officers concerned and arranged the books.

The EDO said another reason for shortage of books was Urdu medium in schools.

“This year the government had changed the medium of instruction to English. According to which, government is supplying books in English medium.

However, in some schools teachers opted for Urdu medium. So, we have no solution for such schools as government is not publishing books in Urdu medium,” he added.

Talking to Dawn, Punjab Teacher Union Rawalpindi President Shahid Mubarik Raja said hundreds of students across the district are without the books.

“This would be unfair not only to the students but teachers as well to give excellent results without providing them books,” he added.