SANKHUWASABHA:Two weeks after the commencement of the new academic session, students in Sankhuwasabha lack textbooks.

The unavailability of coursebooks has hampered the study at schools. Some textbooks for grades I, VI, VII, IX and X are not available in the market, students and guardians complained.

The textbooks of Mathematics and Social Studies for grade I, Health and Population Education for grade IX and Economics for grade X are not available in the market, students said.

According to book dealers, Janak Education Materials Centre has not made the books available to them.

“We ask the students to go back home after attendance. We have no other option,” teachers said.

Narayan Katwal, proprietor of Bijay Books, went to Kathmandu two weeks back and has not returned yet citing he could not get the books.

Last year, JEMC could not make books available in remote areas as it was engaged in printing ballots for the constituent assembly election. It had, however, promised that required number of books would be supplied on time this year.

Some 50,000 students are studying in 53 secondary, 41 lower secondary and 293 primary schools in the district.

The book dealers said they had hardly got 10,000 sets of books against the total requirement of 50,000.

Acting District Education Officer Dirgadhoj Chapagain said there was no dearth of books for the primary level. “Only few coursebooks are unavailable for secondary and lower secondary levels. The problem is manageable,” the officer said. “It will be solved in two weeks as the dealers are supplying books.”

Khandbari and Chainpur are main centres for book distribution in the district. Other five book suppliers have gone to Biratnagar or the capital in book hunt.