Punjab Textbook Board has announced that it will no longer be providing free textbooks to 2.5 million students in the next academic year.

The decision was made due to the Punjab government’s failure to pay the board’s dues of Rs. 10 billion. It is a discouraging development that will have a major impact on the education of these children.

Every year, students in government schools in Punjab receive free books worth Rs. 3,000 per student. The initiative has been an essential support for families who cannot afford the educational expenses of their children.

The discontinuation of free books means that two and a half million children from government schools will suffer in the coming academic year, including their parents who are already grappling with the rising cost of living in the country.

Source: ProPakistani