Chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) Prof Md Farhadul Islam today hoped that free textbooks will be reached to all the students across the country through the book festival on January 1, 2023.

“Like previous years, all the students across the country will get their textbooks through the textbook festival on January 1, 2023,” he told to BSS.

As part of the government’s efforts of reaching new books to the students on the first day of the New Year, the distribution of free textbooks will start at the beginning of New Year across the country including the capital, he informed.

“Already about 70 percent of our secondary and 50 percent of primary textbooks have been prepared. About 80 percent of the prepared textbooks have been supplied to the field level,” he said.

He further added that books are being reached to different parts of the country every day.

By December 31 next, about 80 percent of the textbooks will reach the field level, he said, adding that the remaining textbooks are expected to reach all educational institutions across the country by January 15.

A total of 33 crore 48 lakh 77 thousand and 833 textbooks are expected to be distributed at primary and secondary levels across the country, he said.

Of those books, a total of 9 crore 66 lakh 7 thousand and 245 books will be distributed to primary (including pre-primary to minority and ethnic groups) and 23 crore 82 lakh 70 thousand and 588 books to secondary students, he said.

Till December 19, around 14 crore 41 lakh secondary level books have reached the field level and about 17 crore books have been prepared, he added.

Besides, printing and binding of 5 crore 19 lakh primary books have been completed, he said.

Of those, 3 crore 57 lakh books have been supplied to various educational institutions of the country, he said, adding that the remaining books will be distributed to the school level soon.