KADAPA: The textbook supply situation in Kadapa district is as bad as elsewhere in the state. Students who have been lucky enough to get their textbooks are having to share them with thos have not. For parents this means almost daily visits to book sellers to get their hands on the needed tome.Though student organisations have taken to the streets demanding immediate distribution of textbooks, officials maintain there is no shortage at all and that distribution is on schedule.District education officer Subba Reddy says, “We are hopeful of completing textbook distribution by this month-end. If there’s been a delay, it was due to transportation from the printing centres to Kadapa. We have already despatched 84 percent of the required textbooks.’’Government schools cater to 2,57,323 students in this distriuct, and private schools to another 2,13,125. The requirement of textbooks is 16,72,181. So far, officials claim, 12,73,954 textbooks have been dispatched to mandal headquarters and from there to respective schools. Textbook distribution has been completed in several mandals, officials say.However, some classes have not been completely served. Textbooks for classes 1 and 2 in English medium are still awaiting despatched to Kadapa district. The books are printed in Chennai and Bangalore and printing is still going on. ‘’We are expecting them to arrive by this month-end and once they reach us, we will distribute them without further delay,’’ says Subba Reddy.K Chenchi Reddy, headmaster of Kammavaripalle High School in CK Dinne mandal, reports there is no shortage at all. Other schools in the district have reported no delays. However, student union leaders say that government officials’ statement are nothing but stalling tactics. Complete supply of text book will not happen before the end of July, they say.
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