The annual new school book distribution festival is set to take place on the first January 2024, following the tradition of the government distributing new books to students on the first day of the year. Preparations are in full swing to organize the event across the country.
Sources mentioned that primary school books have already reached 495 upazilas across the country, with the majority also reaching secondary schools. The timely distribution of these books to students is on track. However, the printing of certain eighth and ninth-grade books, which await implementation with the new curriculum in the upcoming year, is still in progress.
Farhadul Islam, the Chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), responsible for overseeing the printing and distribution, informed the media that this year's preparations for book distribution surpass those of recent years. All books are expected to reach the upazilas by December 30th, ensuring that students receive their books on the first day of the year.
Despite this optimistic outlook, another NCTB source mentioned that some eighth and ninth-grade books may not reach upazilas before December 30th and might be sent at the beginning of the year.
A total of 30.7 crore books are slated for free distribution among 3 crore 81 lakh 27 thousand 630 primary and secondary level students in the 2024 academic year. The secondary level books account for 18 crore 61 lakh 1 thousand 206, while the primary level books comprise about 9 crore 75 lakh, including 5 crore 38 lakh 3 thousand 423 books for first, fourth, and fifth classes.
Additionally, there are 3 crore 36 lakh 1 thousand 274 books for the new curriculum of the second and third grades, along with 61 lakh 93 thousand 878 pre-primary books. Other quantities include 6 crore 45 lakh 48 thousand 308 copies of the books for the class 6, some 4 crore 45 lakh 57 thousand copies for the seventh class, 5 crore 34 lakh 84 thousand 271 copies for the eighth class, and 5 crore six lakh 84 thousand 573 copies for the ninth class.
The implementation of the new curriculum began in 2023 for the first, sixth, and seventh classes, and will continue in 2024 for the second, third, eighth, and ninth classes.
As preparations unfold for the January 1st book festival, the secondary school festival will not take place in Dhaka as in previous years. Instead, it will be hosted at Sowaganj Tofazzal Ahmed Chowdhury School and College in Sadar Dakshin Upazila of Comilla District. Education Minister Dipu Moni is expected to inaugurate the festival by presenting new books to students.
Conversely, the primary book festival will occur at the National (Shokal-Bikal) Government Primary School in Mirpur, the capital. The participation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in announcing the ceremonial opening of the festival a day before the central event remains unconfirmed, following the trend of recent years.
