Free school bags, books for students announced

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced it will provide free school bags and textbooks to all public school students across the province.

Information Adviser Barrister Saif confirmed the decision, stating that funds have been approved for this education initiative. “Following PTI founder vision, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur is taking concrete steps to promote education,” he said.

In another major decision, the annual budget for Parent-Teacher Councils has been increased from 5 billion to 7 billion rupees to further improve school facilities.

The measures aim to reduce financial burdens on families and encourage school enrollment. Distribution of the free bags and books will begin next academic session.

In a separate development, the Sindh Textbook Board has commenced textbook distribution for the academic year 2025-26 to ensure the timely availability of learning materials.

Acting on the directives of Sindh’s Minister for Education, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, the board aims to streamline the process, ensuring that books are available to students right as the academic year begins.

A ceremony marking the launch of the textbook distribution phase was held on Saturday at the Sindh Textbook Board headquarters in Jamshoro, attended by key figures, including Chairman Parvez Ahmed Baloch, Secretary Dr.

Nusrat Parvez Sehto, and several educational administrators. During this event, textbooks were officially handed over to taluka-level education officers in Jamshoro.

Phase-wise Distribution

In its initial phase, textbooks have been distributed to three talukas of Jamshoro District: Manjhand, Thano Bula Khan, and Sehwan. The priority is to equip primary public schools first, with secondary school book deliveries scheduled to begin next week.

To enhance efficiency, the Sindh Textbook Board has deployed monitoring committees across various schools. These teams will visit institutions to ensure that textbooks have been successfully delivered and are readily available for students.

Sustainability Through Book Banks

At the close of the previous academic year, book banks were established within public schools, a step initiated by Minister Sardar Ali Shah. These book banks aim to facilitate timely textbook distribution while optimizing resource usage.