New textbooks bring joy to children

Md Moniruzzaman :
The National Textbook Festival, marking the free distribution of new textbooks among primary and secondary level students, was celebrated across the country yesterday.
Hundreds of school children become delighted to get their new textbooks wearing school uniforms, some with colorful dresses with their guardians joined the programme.
Tasnim Akhter, a fourth grades student of Hazi Ibrahim Government Primary School, came to the Book Festival wearing colorful dress and adorning her head with flowers.
Smiling face of Tasnim glazed when was flipping pages of new book.
She said, “I love to read new books. Today, I am very happy as I have received new book.”
Like Tasnim, around four crore school children across the country celebrated the Textbook Festival as they received textbooks free of cost for their new classes on the first day of the New Year.
This year, a number of 9,66,08,245 copies of textbooks were distributed among 2,18,03,030 students of pre-primary and primary level for the 20223 academic year.
The NCTB however have failed to provide all sets of books at a time due to newsprint crisis.
 “The new books have already reached all schools. About 80 percent of the books have been given. We will be able to provide 100 percent books within this month,” State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossen said. The primary level textbook festival was held centrally at the central playground of Dhaka University, while the secondary level textbook festival was held at the Kapasia Pilot High School grounds in Gazipur.
“I was waiting for my new book since I finished my third grade. I am too happy as my book is in my hand,” Mahbub Hossain, a fourth grades student of Dokhin Muhoshindi Sorkari Prathomik Biddaloy, said.
Lamia Akhter, a third grade student of Mohila Somity Primary School, have also been given one book. She boosted up cheers after receiving book and flipping the pages of book also. She said, “I will start to read the book after just reaching my home.” After inaugurating the Textbook Festival, the State Minister also urged the teachers and parents to give proper education to their child.
He said, “I hope our teachers and parents will build child with good minds through proper education. Bangabandhu gave utmost importance to primary education. We have to improve and standardize that primary education.”
“Prime Minister announced to transform Digital Bangladesh into Smart Bangladesh by 2041. Today’s primary school students are the artisans of that smart Bangladesh,” State Minister added.