KARACHI: With approximately 700,000 book sets distributed, the Sindh Textbook Board (STBB) has claimed to have “successfully” completed the delivery of textbooks to government schools in the Karachi region.

The move came almost a week after Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed the education department to ensure distribution of 4.453 million textbooks by August 14, 2024, to facilitate a smooth start of the new academic year in government-run schools.

The schools in Sindh are scheduled to reopen on August 15.

A statement issued by the Sindh education department said that a ceremony was held at the Sindh Textbook Board’s warehouse in Landhi to mark the completion of the final phase of book delivery to the metropolis.

Attendees included Sindh Textbook Board chairman Abdul Aleem Lashari, board secretary Hafeezullah Mehar, Malir district education officers, and representatives from various walks of life.

“The delivery of books to 17 districts in Sindh has been completed, with the final batch being sent to the Keamari district of Karachi,” the statement quoted Mr Lashari as saying.

He also confirmed that around 700,000 sets of textbooks had been provided to the Karachi region attributing the timely delivery of books to the instructions of Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah.

He mentioned that it had been printing and distributing books since 1970, despite facing challenges over time.

The chairman highlighted that the board has two major warehouses in Sindh, located in Landhi, Karachi, and Jamshoro, and printed 4.4 million books this year.

He announced plans to digitise textbooks, making them accessible to students through a mobile app.

Mr Lashari said that textbooks had been distributed in 68 out of 138 taluks, with the next phase of delivery scheduled to begin next week.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2024