The ultimatum, endorsed by NSF president Subenthung Kithan and education secretary Imtiyapang, and addressed to the director of DoSE, stated that despite repeated representations and appeals from the federation and assurance from the department, some schools have not yet received textbooks till now, thereby compelling the students to appear their first quarter exam without textbooks.
The federation expressed dismay that the department talks of quality education in the state but has failed to provide the basic and the most important necessity- textbooks- to the students.
“The loss of the student community’s face during these four months can never be compensated,” the letter stated.
In view of the above, the NSF has put forward a three-point demand to the department, which included, ensuring the distribution of all the textbooks to the students by May 16, 2016; that the government must give assurance that the textbooks will be distributed to the students at the beginning of every academic session from next session onwards; and that the State Vigilance Commission be invited and action be taken against the erring person(s) involved.
The federation cautioned that failing to comply with its demand within 15 days from the date of issuance of the ultimatum, it would take its “own course of action”.
Earlier on March 31 last, the NSF had issued a representation to the same authority raising concern that the textbooks of primary section (Classes A-IV) and Hindi textbooks for elementary section in government schools were not released by the department even after a lapse of more than two months of academic session. The federation had then urged the department to look into the matter with urgency and issue the pending textbooks for the students within a week.
