Private publishers take over Punjab Textbook Board

LAHORE – The private publishers have virtually taken over the management of Punjab Textbook Board (PTB), throwing to winds the standards set in the National Textbook and Learning Materials Policy (NTLMP).
The curriculum wing of federal ministry of education issued the NTLMP in 2007. The purpose of the policy was the improvement of textbooks and learning materials but the policy has fallen foul to the benefit of private publishers, corrupt mafia and incompetent writers.
PTB’s data available with Pakistan Today states that registered publishers so far have been able only to put together six out of around 300 books mandated by the board in the wake of new policy. In 2006, the PTB assigned its registered private publishers with the task of developing 300 textbooks from grades 1 to grades 12 within two years but they were unable to provide the books in time.
Out of the six revised books made available in the market, five books are for grade one and one book is for grade six. PTB sources confirmed that the 200 publishers registered by the PTB under the NTLMP 2007 failed to develop textbooks in line with the National Curricula of 2006. Sources disclosed that majority of the publishers were journalists and anchorperson, pressurizing the PTB to approve their substandard manuscripts.
The latest data obtained from the PTB shows that, in the last couple of months, the PTB has rejected 22 manuscripts of various textbooks, submitted by a publishing house owned by a prominent journalist. It has been learned that the Provincial Review Committee (PRC) rejected 25 manuscripts of various publishers despite pressure tactics from powerful vested interests.
“Publishers have hired incompetent authors to develop textbooks,” a senior PTB official PTB disclosed to Pakistan Today.
He revealed that these authors instead of putting together creative material, download material from various websites for compiling textbooks and got the manuscripts approved from PTB through often applying pressure in the capacity of journalist. With journalist-cum-publishers behind the venture, the PTB’s officials hardly put up any resistance and give the approvla. One of the PTB’s official said that if the PTB officials or committee reject the weak manuscripts, the mighty publishers will take them to task through their respective publications.
Sources inside the PTB said that PTB is in grip of a mafia of private publishers and the board has become den of corruption and it seems there is no authority to stop the mafia. Sources revealed that books produced by private publishers were substandard; contained errors while the incompetent writers hired by these private publishers were producing works that defeated the purpose behind the new policy and initiative.
BACKGROUND – The alternate (multiple) textbook system remained in force during 1947 to 1961. The authors and publishers through open invitation called upon to submit their manuscripts of textbooks to the Punjab Advisory Board of Books (PABB). The publishers whose books were selected and prescribed as alternate multiple textbooks were to enter into agreement with PABB.
A source inside the PTB said that NTLMP’s mission could not achieved as mistakes were reported in the textbooks and students in far flung areas complained of non-availability and high prices. He criticised that better quality could not be ensured because the teams in private and government sector, involved in the process of developing textbooks and review, were not sensitized in learning objectives set in curricula.
He said that curricula 2006 had been developed to introduce higher learning objectives beyond comprehension i.e problem solving and other levels promoting inquiry learning. He said teams involved in writing, review and evaluation were largely from government school and college systems and were not qualified in the required expertise. He said that private publishers looted money and handed over the job of writing textbooks to those who were not well conversant with the required demands of the textbooks.
NTLMP envisages ‘textbooks at affordable prices’. The implementation strategy of NTLMP is encouraging cartelization of publishers who after seeking NOC would maximize their profits. This is quite obvious from their demands of royalty from PTB. This trend had leaded to the opening of floodgates of profiteering. Though, textbooks are given free of cost to government schools, still, increasing number of private schools of which more than 70 percent cater to the needs of middle and lower middle class, would affected price hike.
Choice and competition are not major factors in developing textbooks for achieving higher learning objectives, rather it requires proper method based upon research at every level and aspects of the textbook development. In the absence of this methodology, competition charged with business incentives would promote corruption and malpractices.
This will affect all levels, right from textbook writing review and approval. The textbook board has an experience of forty seven years in developing, publishing and economics of textbooks. In PTB, a Bureau of Curriculum Research and Development has been attached to give feedback and support in terms of researchers related to textbook development.
According to the sources, the exclusion of the PTB from competing textbook development under new polices is quite strange as the very infrastructure can easily come up to the requirements of this policy. It seems highly questionable that a government institution having a vast experience and achievement in textbooks development has been side lined in favour of private publishers by changing its role. This would lead to believe that policy is encouraging profiteering in private sector.
FAVOURITISM – This policy further enhances this notion as in clause 2.2 (ii), “For subjects and grades where no letter of intent is submitted by private publishers, textbooks boards will re-advertise, and if still no letter of intent is forthcoming, develop textbooks as per current procedures”.
This is a clear show of favoritism for private publishers by creating comfortable, enabling environment for profit earning and also designing scheme to destroy government institutions. Under this clause of this policy, only publishers have been provided with enabling environment by adopting preferential strategies while institutions and writers have totally been ignored.
If at all some institutions have been allowed to participate, (e.g National Book Foundation, Teachers Foundations, AJK) others, for example textbook boards are ignored. Educationists and stake holders in education have demanded that the government should strictly check the corruption of private publishers and take notice of affairs inside the textbook boards.