Karnali Students' Textbook Woes Continue Amidst Fund Delays

As a new academic year dawns in Karnali Province, a familiar and disheartening reality is unfolding for thousands of students: the uncertainty of receiving textbooks. This isn't just an administrative hiccup; it's a systemic failure that directly impacts the educational foundation of our children. The delays in fund releases by local units, a recurring issue year after year, have once again stalled the procurement process.

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Suppliers do not provide books on credit. The rural municipality has not released the budget, making it difficult to ensure students receive textbooks during the enrolment campaign.

In Mugu's Soru Rural Municipality, a significant sum allocated for textbooks remains unreleased, leaving teachers like Govinda Shahi to explain to students why books are unavailable. The excuse of administrative disruptions, such as the delayed assumption of office by a chief administrative officer and the suspension of an accountant, offers little solace to those on the ground. These are not abstract problems; they translate into tangible barriers to learning.

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Schools had submitted their demand forms as early as mid-March. There is still no clarity on when the funds will be released.

Similarly, in Dailekh's Thatikandh Rural Municipality, the story repeats. While officials promise fund transfers, the reality is that textbooks may not reach students even by the end of the enrollment campaign. This is a stark contrast to the ideal scenario where students should have their books from day one. The provincial education ministry acknowledges that while funds are transferred to local governments, these units consistently delay their release.

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The accountant was on leave, which caused some delay. We plan to transfer the funds to the schools’ accounts on Wednesday.

This annual cycle of delay, affecting 10 out of Karnali's 79 local units, means that not all students will receive their books. The Janak Education Materials Centre estimates a need for around 120,000 textbook sets. While some old stock might be available, the consistent failure to ensure timely procurement highlights a deep-seated issue in our local governance. The question remains: when will Karnali's students be prioritized over administrative red tape?

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It seems students may not receive books even by the end of the enrolment campaign. Ideally, students should have textbooks during enrolment.