SHILLONG: The Education Department on Wednesday said the ongoing row over selection of textbooks will be taken up with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.
The department said it would watch over the situation and may even ask the Board to keep the work order for publication of books in abeyance.
The Education Department seems to be unhappy about MBoSE giving preference to lesser known publishers over the recognised ones.
When contacted, MBoSE executive chairman Pravin Bakshi said the board is open to review of books which have been given first preference even as he added that the board would like to be guided by the Education Department.
Maintaining that the board has followed all the procedures in a transparent manner, Bakshi said schools are not bound to follow the recommended books from classes I to VIII.
“The books were reviewed by more than 350 teachers and the board does not have any obligation towards the publishers and is open for changes,” he added.
Meanwhile, the list of textbooks for Class I, which have been approved by the board for English medium, includes The Rainbow Reader Series (Course Book-1), The Rainbow Reader Series (Work Book-1), both by M/S Students’ Publication for English subject.
In Arithmetic, the textbooks are Easy Steps to Mathematics (Course Book – 1) and Easy Steps to Mathematics (Work Book – 1) by M/S Meghalaya Book Stall, Mawkhar Point, Iewduh, Shillong, Table Book (English +Hindi +Garo + Khasi) M/S Children Publication, Bara Bazar, Shillong.
In Art of Healthy and Productive subject, the name of the approved book is Living Perceptive Art of Healthy and Productive Living -1 M/S Arya Book Depot, 30 Naiwala, Karol Bagh, New Delhi.
In General Knowledge, the approved book is Spotlight General Knowledge – 1 M/S Cordova Publications Pvt. Ltd., C-141, Sector – 63, Noida.
MBoSE approved the book ‘Garden of Life -1’ for Value Education by M/S Macmillan Publishers India Pvt. Ltd., SC Goswami Road, Pan Bazar, Guwahati.
In Work Education, the book approved is Work Education -1 by M/S Students’ Publication, Bara Bazar, Shillong.
