Odisha school students to get free textbooks after lifting of COVID-19 lockdown

Bhubaneswar: As the schools will remain closed till June 17 in the wake of increasing cases of COVID-19 in Odisha, the state government is planning to send free textbooks to students after lifting of lockdown, which has been extended till April 30.

The students could have been engaged in study during holidays if they get textbooks. In view of closure of the schools, the School & Mass Education Department is laying focus on sending textbooks to the students of state-run and government aided schools at their homes soon after lifting of lockdown, a source in the Department said.

In this regard, the authorities are interacting with the teachers’ associations to make the textbooks available for the students.

Source said that the free textbooks have reached all the blocks, NACs and municipal corporations across the state by March 15. The distribution of textbooks had commenced from November 22 for 2020-21 academic session. Out of total 2,54,29,063 text books, 2,49,54,127 textbooks are to be distributed among the students at various government schools and remaining 60,06,689 textbooks will be made available for selling at different book stores. By March 15, the textbooks have been provided to 425 centres in 30 districts and the book materials have been sent to the schools.