Despite pandemic, Tamil Nadu ready with 3.8 crore new textbooks

CHENNAI: Despite the pandemic and general elections, the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation has printed nearly 3.8 crore textbooks for school students for the 2021-22 academic year.
So far, 91% of textbooks have been delivered by the printers to the designated schools and godowns across the state.

“While 100% of textbooks for Classes VIII to XII have been printed, for other classes a small percentage of books are yet to be delivered. For Classes I and II, most textbooks have been pending due to the complete lockdown. Once the lockdown is lifted, they will be printed and moved to designated schools,” an official from the textbook corporation said.
Being an election year, the corporation started printing the textbooks in January. “We moved the textbooks during March and April to the 120 designated centres. Since there were no major corrections, the printing work began well in advance,” the official said.
The corporation will take up the printing of a second volume of textbooks for Classes XI and XII in the coming weeks. The textbook corporation also plans to distribute the textbooks to private schools who placed the orders after the Covid-19 cases come down.
The textbook corporation also printed the bridge course materials and worksheets for students of Classes I to IX to bridge the gap in online learning. Citing the Covid-19 pandemic, educationists urged the state government to deliver the textbooks at the doorstep of students this year.
“In view of the pandemic, the state should take steps to deliver textbooks at the doorstep of children for 2021-22 academic year. Both government and private schools may be asked to deliver textbooks and notebooks through their teachers and take note of the condition of children. The state should provide the logistics, including protective gear like face shields and PPEs to teachers,” said P B Prince Gajendrababu, general secretary, State Platform for Common School System. He further said teachers above 50 years age and with comorbidities can be given stationary work at schools without any public contact.
Private schools are also planning to seek permission to take the textbooks from the godowns and deliver it to students. “Students need textbooks to attend online classes. We are planning to ask for exemption from Covid-19 lockdown restrictions for delivering textbooks to the doorsteps of our students,” said N Vijayan, senior principal of Zion Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Tambaram.