Most of government schools of mid-western region of the country have been involved in about financial irregularity worth Rs. 30 millions while purchasing textbooks through the government provided budget.
According to regional office of Janak Education Materials Center, during 2067-68 fiscal year, irregularity amounting to a total of Rs. 29,417,327 was committed by 15 district schools in mid-western.
Those schools have not purchased textbooks from the budget allocated by Department of Education.
In the last fiscal year the department had allocated Rs. 195,979,207 for purchasing textbooks, however, only books worth Rs. 166,561,479 were purchased, Rabindra Sharma, regional manager of JEMC said.
Sharma added the vast difference in the budget allocated by government and budget being used to purchase textbooks, which encourages schools to involve in the irregularity.
Likewise, the District Education Offices at these 15 districts have also suspected the irregularities being carried out while purchasing textbooks.
Many schools have reused textbooks purchasing them from the students of have passed various grades. However, cost of those books has also been included while buying new ones, JEMC blamed.
JEMC informed that except for Surkhet district all other districts of mid-western region have purchased textbook printed by private publication companies and houses.
The government is providing textbooks free of cost from class one to ten under its Education for All programme.
(Source: The Rising Nepal)
