SHILLONG: School Education and Literacy Minister Deborah Marak has sought a report on the selection of textbooks for classes I to X while the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE) has said all procedures were followed.
In response to the news report related to local publishers of Shillong and booksellers getting preference over reputed publishers, MBoSE executive chairman Pravin Bakshi on Monday said the manuscripts for textbooks were coded and handed over to the reviewers so that they would not know about the publishers’ names in the process of review.
He also denied the allegation that the selection of textbooks has been done in a hurry.
However, the school education minister said since the matter is in public domain, she would seek a report on the matter.
Bakshi said more than 300 reviewers worked for more than a month and brought out first, second and third preferences after due deliberation and diligence.
The MBoSE chief said the selection of textbooks, which started in April this year, has been long-drawn, consultative and participative process which started with decisions taken in board and academic committee meetings.
Prior to this, symposiums with teachers and principals, circulation of a questionnaire that the board posted on the website and collated responses were undertaken.
“The expression of interest was given on July 5 and manuscripts from all publishers were sought by October 5,” he said.
According to Bakshi, on September 27, experts on various subjects with seniority of 10 years or more were selected and the board had workshops with them as teams were constituted both in Tura and Shillong.
“There were six reviewers for each subject selected who are trusted teachers and examiners for years. DERT views and suggestions for revisions from HRD Ministry, Supreme Court orders, Human Rights and Child Rights Panel and others in textbooks were circulated to them,” Bakshi said.
“All manuscripts were coded and handed over to them so that they would not know about publishers’ names in the process of review and more than 300 reviewers worked for more than a month and brought out first, second and third preferences after due deliberation and diligence. After decoding, we as a board also came to know about the selection and where there is unanimous verdict, mostly all, we have gone for first preferences for all classes and all subjects,” he added.
Bakshi also said since the textbook reviewers themselves did not know which publishers’ book they were reviewing, they made a teacher’s selection of the book which in their opinion is best suited to the needs of the students who they have been teaching for decades.
According to Bakshi, there were more than 300 teachers involved and MBoSE had workshops with them and informed them that the selections would be covered under RTI and may get challenged in courts of law and asked them to make best selections.
He said a transparent, open and fair procedural method of selection was adopted and hence the board preserved all records and documents and written preferences of teachers and reviewers.
Selection of certain textbooks, perhaps in junior classes, was made in a customised and student-friendly content and rural over urban considerations have also been given due regard by the reviewers, the official said.
He added that what is being questioned is classes I to IV for English and Arithmetic which is repeated for all mediums but all other classes have got outside publishers overwhelmingly.
The selected local publishers from Shillong said expert authors were behind framing the textbooks and there was no reason for any manipulations.
“The selection of books was done by MBoSE-appointed review experts in most confidential manner and on merit basis and the reviewers were not privy to names and identities of publishers, authors and names of books,” the publishers said.
