Ministry tells students to pay for damaged books

Manama : Educational authorities in the Kingdom have called upon students and parents to maintain their books in good conditions, so as other students could benefit from them.

In its reply to reports criticising the ministry for charging students who damaged their books, the ministry said that it aims to motivate children to protect the books through the procedure and to rationalise spending on printing new books.

“The ministry has conducted awareness campaigns at all public schools within its rationalising expenditure procedures. The campaigns focused on raising awareness on the necessity of maintaining books, which are handed over free and in a good condition at the beginning of school semesters. The books have a cost that should not be wasted,” the ministry said in a statement.

The statement explained that the education ministry is following a mechanism to collect books from students by the end of school semesters and students will be charged in case the books were not returned or damaged.

The ministry further stressed that these books could be reused by students, thereby serving their educational and economic goals.

“As a part of the ministry’s efforts to digitalise education, all books are available on the electronic educational gate, which allows students to download and print their school books,” the statement added.

The ministry’s reply followed recent reports and complaints about its strategies to charge students for losing or damaging their books, and distributing used books among them.

The distribution of used books began this school year and was not welcomed by many parents who claimed that books were given to their children were damaged.