ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has taken serious notice of the non-provision of textbooks to the students of the schools under Federal Directorate of Education (FDE). He called a meeting of Federal Directorate of Education and National Books Foundation (NBF) officials in the ministry on Monday to address this issue on urgent basis. CADD Secretary Hassan Iqbal, FDE DG and NBF MD were also present in the meeting. The state minister expressed his serious concerns over the short supply of textbooks to the students and directed the National Books Foundation MD to ensure the provision of the textbooks to each and every student of the government schools of federal areas on urgent basis. It was also decided in the meeting that the process will be monitored on daily basis and reports would be submitted to the state minister. A review meeting to analyse the progress would be held next week. Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry further directed the FDE DG that from next year, advanced payment must be ensured to National Books Foundation at the time of MoU signing so that the textbooks can be timely provided to the students on the day of the announcement of results before the commencement of new academic session. Federal Directorate of Education director general briefed the state minister that almost 60 percent of textbooks had already been delivered to FDE by NBF and these textbooks were being distributed among the student through relevant school heads. FDE DG said, “These books are distributed through nine distribution centres, five in urban and four in rural areas of the federal capital”. She further briefed the minister that this year situation is much better than the previous years where process for distribution of textbooks to be completed in June or July. National Books Foundation MD briefed the state minister that NBF has to get textbooks published through private publisher, which causes delays. He further said that the delay in the selection of books at the part of Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) is also a major cause for the late provision of the textbooks to the students. The state minister directed the National Books Foundation MD to ensure the provision of all textbooks as demanded by the Federal Directorate of Education by April 30.