Parents, not kids of govt schools, to collect free books this year in UP

Parents of 12.8 million (1.28 crore) kids enrolled in UP government’s primary and upper primary schools will collect free course books and workbooks of their wards instead of the kids as part of precaution against Covid-19. The state government has decided to distribute these much-delayed books to class 1 to class 8 students immediately.

Parents of 12.8 million (1.28 crore) kids enrolled in UP government’s primary and upper primary schools will collect free course books and workbooks of their wards instead of the kids as part of precaution against Covid-19. The state government has decided to distribute these much-delayed books to class 1 to class 8 students immediately.

Parents would be called to schools in small groups of two to three and handed over the course books, said officials.

Additional chief secretary Renuka Kumar has issued instructions in this regard to all district magistrates and basic shiksha adhikaris (BSAs) on June 10, they added.

These free books are distributed to government-run primary and upper primary schools, government and government-aided schools as well as schools run by the state social welfare department besides government-aided madrasas in the state.

“The free books are usually distributed in April but owing to Covid-19 outbreak and the resulting lockdown, this has got delayed. Now bulk of books have arrived and the remaining ones are also about to come. With schools closed, lessons are being imparted through e-pathshala under Mission Prerna of the basic education department. In such a situation, the state government wants books to reach the kids to help them study and has issued orders for completing their distribution within 10 days of the arrival of final batch of books in each district,” said BSA-Prayagraj Sanjay Kumar Kushwaha.

The blueprint for distribution of books to over 4 lakh students in Prayagraj is being finalized, he said.

The order instructs officials to ensure that verification process of books is completed within three days by the district verification committee and the books be sent to block resource centres (BRCs) by the BSA. It also binds BRCs to transport the books to respective schools within two days.

“It will be the responsibility of the BSA and the block education officers concerned to complete the entire task within 10 days strictly following the social distancing guidelines issued by state government,” it added.