Textbook shortage hits schools

The start of school is never without grouses with the latest being that there aren't enough textbooks to go around in government schools.

And the low-income earning parents of many students, who are returning to school without the textbooks, are wondering aloud if they could claim expenses now that they need to buy the textbooks at shops.

As usual, a few days before the schools open, parents and their children were seen flocking to bookstores and department stores in readiness for the beginning of another year of classes.

Several parents complained that some of the textbooks that are normally leased out to students at government schools are out of stock and these students were required to purchase the textbooks from book shops.

These parents are demanding answers: Why was this problem not sorted out before the schools opened as they have ample time to do so and they know how many students are going to be in each class?

These parents said it's alright for those parents who are well-paid and only have one or two school-going children, while those studying in private schools can claim education allowance.

But parents, who have several school-age children and are earning a low income, don't have the benefit of claiming for the purchase of these books.

The parents said they just wanted to give their children the proper education via the government schools as they can't afford to send them to a private school.

The need to purchase the textbooks will only add to the burden faced by the low-income families with several children going to school.

The new school year is already off to a bumpy start with many parents questioning the logic of starting classes yesterday, a Thursday.

The critics suggested that school should have opened next Monday instead of yesterday.

The proposal was aimed at avoiding an interruption in the start of the school week as today and Sunday are holidays, some parents said.