Education Ministry’s austerity fizzles out

Manama: The distribution of used books to students this year by the Education Ministry as part of its cost-cutting measures has drawn flak from parents. 

Hundreds of parents have complained about the used books, as most of them are damaged and not fit for study.

In the few hours that followed the first school day on Sunday, many pictures were posted on local social media networks by irate parents, showing the books with doodles on them by students of previous years. Some books had “answered questions” and other damage.

Following the outcry, the ministry has requested school administrations to return the ‘limited’ damaged old books and replace them with new ones.

“Regarding what has been circulating about the used books, the ministry has instructed schools administrations of all stages to replace the limited number of books that contained answers of students who used them previous year with new ones,” the ministry’s Media and Public Relations Directorate said in a press statement yesterday.

“Thousands of used books were collected, revised and isolated. The ones that are fit for reusing have been distributed to students this year,” the Directorate clarified.

“A circular has been sent to all schools in regards to the used books. The ministry is concerned about providing school books to all students. This procedure comes as part of the rationalisation steps to reduce cost. The goals sought by this procedure are educational and this is the first attempt. Despite the opposing voices, it has gained positive interaction,” the statement added.

However, the mechanism of returning or replacing the damaged books was not clarified in the Directorate’s statement.