DUBAI — Indian curriculum schools in the UAE, which reopen today after a short spring break, for the new academic year are seeing a shortage of a few textbooks. Even as they gear up for the new academic year that begins today, schools say some textbooks are yet to arrive from India.
Grade VIII Maths, Grade IX Social Studies, one book for Social Studies of Grade X, Grade XI Physics Part II and Grade XI Accounts Part I are some of the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) books that the schools are yet to receive.
Abha Sahgal, Principal of Delhi Private School, Sharjah, said, "In every class, at least 2-3 textbooks are not there as we have been unable to get them from India so far. It is a peculiar problem for us as we have to wait for the books to be shipped from India and sometimes even in India, they are not available."
"We have devised a way to work around the peculiar problem. In the first week, we introduce all the subjects to students and ensure that there is a lot of non-textual work," she added.
Dr Farooq Wasil, Executive Principal of OOEHS, said, "There is a short supply in some NCERT books as they are not available in India, too. We have already taken steps where the photocopy of the first few units have been taken and will be distributed to students, so that they do not have to miss classes."
Some schools, however, said that they would distribute the language textbooks today as they had to be screened. "We sent a notice to our parents that they could pick up books from March 25. However, the language books will have to be screened and we will hand them over on the first day of school," said a school head, who didn't want to be named.
"Non-availability of books is, however, not hampering teaching in any way," observed another principal.
School heads, however, asserted that the books would reach the schools in a week to 10 days and they would be immediately handed over to the students. "All books should be here by the end of this week," said Abha Sahgal.
Students, on the other hand, were prepared to spend the first week without a few books. "I am happy to be back with my friends and don't think I will really miss my books in the first week. It is not everyday that we can actually give excuses for not studying," joked Ankit Madhavan, a Grade IX student.
By Preeti Kannan (Our staff reporter)