Himalayan News Service

Biratnagar, April 8:

At a programme on the ‘Problems in the distribution of text books of institutional schools and ways to solve it’ organised jointly by the Samachar Samuha and Prayash Nepal in Morang yesterday, it was alleged that a majority of private and boarding schools receive commissions from book stores as ‘souvenirs’.

The practice began after the schools were given the company status and began to distribute the text books themselves, according to Nagendra Mani Neupane of the Bright Angels secondary school.

President of PABSON, Morang chapter, Tika Ram Puri, said that he could not say for sure whether or not the publication houses have offered computers, motorcycles and cash to schools as souvenir.

However, guardian Rajendra Prasad Bhattarai said schools, text book stores and even the District Education Office were involved in this game of commission.

Most of the guardians, text books distributors and stakeholders raised a single voice that the anomalies in this sector could be eradicated if the authorities concerned were to conduct monitoring exercises on a regular basis.

Expressing his commitment to launch such a monitoring programme, District Education Officer Hira Prasad Dhakal promised that anyone involved in this illegal game would be punished appropriately.

The programme was held after text book entrepreneurs submitted a memorandum to the DEO regarding the commission game three days ago.