Preparations are in full swing for the distribution of free textbooks to students from pre-primary to secondary levels for the 2025 academic year. The interim government plans to print 375 million textbooks, an increase from the 350 million produced last year.
Education ministry officials announced that the tendering process will begin on October 14, with printing scheduled to commence in the first week of November.
The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) aims to distribute the books by early January, although they caution that achieving full distribution may be challenging.
NCTB Chairman AKM Riazul Hasan highlighted the importance of improving textbook quality, which has been a concern in previous years due to rushed printing. A zero-tolerance policy will be enforced to address problems such as low paper quality and printing errors.
To ensure high standards, monitoring teams will oversee the printing process, and strict penalties will be applied to those who fail to meet deadlines or quality standards.
NCTB member Prof. Dr. Riyad Chowdhury noted that meetings with paper mill owners have secured a reliable supply of paper for the upcoming print run.
Despite the ongoing challenges, including necessary revisions to align with the 2012 curriculum, the education ministry is determined to provide students with their new textbooks at the beginning of the academic year. This year, however, the distribution will take place without the usual book festival, following the recent decision to revert to the 2012 curriculum amid political changes.
