Doti, January 23:

Students in hilly areas in Doti district are forced to appear in final exams based only on classroom lectures, thanks to the lack of textbooks.

It’s already the end of the academic session, but the students in several schools are yet to get textbooks, according to teachers.

“We are compelled to teach students with the help of guide books,” a teacher in Barchhain VDC said, adding, “How can students understand their lessons without even seeing the textbooks?”

“The entire academic session is about to end in the lack of textbooks,” he said. “Grade X students may not get marks in the SLC exams owing to the lack of textbooks.”

Students of Grade IX and X said they had not seen the textbooks of subjects like economics, accountancy, and health, population and environment, the curriculum had been revised before the academic session began last year.

“I appeared in sent up exams by reading guidebooks and guess papers,” a student from Chhapali said. “Students of other grades are also set to appear in final exams soon but the textbooks are yet to be available,” he said.

Students said the entire year passed in search of textbooks. Dipayal-based office of Sajha Publications claimed that it had already distributed available texts in the hilly districts of the far west region.

The Sajha office distributes textbooks for seven hilly districts, including Achham, Bajura, Bajhang and Dadeldhura, among others. According to records at Sajha Publications’ office in Dipayal, 55 lakh copies of textbooks were sold last year. However, only 36 lakh copies were provided this year, even though the demand was double. “Old edition books cannot be sold because of the revision in the curricula. But the government did not inform us about the change in curricula earlier. It was one reason behind the textbook woes,” said Khadga Shahi, a bookshop owner in Dipayal.