Six months on, Bajaur schoolchildren still wait for their textbooks
Six months after the academic session began in the first week of April, scores of pupils at government primary schools for boys and girls across Bajaur district are still without their free textbooks. Residents of Lowi Mamund, War Mamund, Salarzai, Nawagai and Barang tehsils say the missing Bajaur textbooks, including general science, have still not reached their children.
Parents in the district say the shortage is hurting learning. The free textbooks supplied to government school pupils are needed both in school and for homework, and without them children are falling behind.
Why Bajaur textbooks have not reached classrooms
Ayaz Khan, a resident of Lowi Mamund, said pupils in several classes were still waiting for books despite the long gap since April. According to residents, the problem is spread across five tehsils and affects boys’ and girls’ schools alike.
Some residents believe the situation is not caused by a shortage of books at all. They claim the missing textbooks are available with the local education department but have not been distributed to schools, and they say nobody has explained why.
An education department official admitted that some pupils may not have received certain books on time. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said the delay came from the late delivery of books to the department. He added that he would raise the matter with the relevant officials so that the remaining books reach every child still waiting.
What the delay costs in the classroom
The missing books matter most in the early months of the session, when teachers cover the core syllabus. Children who go without books in that period fall behind, and homework suffers because pupils cannot practise or revise at home without the material.
What happens next
The official’s assurance that he will take up the matter offers some hope. Parents are asking the department to confirm how many books have been delivered to Bajaur this year and to publish a clear schedule for distributing the remainder.
If the books do not reach schools soon, the affected pupils face the prospect of completing much of the session without the basic reading material the province promises them free of cost.
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FAQs
When did the school year begin in Bajaur?
The new academic session in Bajaur started in the first week of April 2026, which means pupils have been without some textbooks for about six months.
Which areas of Bajaur are affected?
Residents of Lowi Mamund, War Mamund, Salarzai, Nawagai and Barang tehsils have reported missing textbooks, including general science books, at government primary schools for boys and girls.
What is the education department saying?
An official admitted on condition of anonymity that delivery delays left some pupils waiting, and said he would raise the matter with the relevant officials to get the remaining books to every child still waiting.
