13 mn copies of textbooks to be printed in 2021

By Sandun A Jayasekera

The Education Ministry will print 13,890,000 copies of school text books in 106 subjects and related categories to be distributed among 4.2 million students in 2021 at a cost of Rs. 1.094 billion, Cabinet spokesman and Minister Ramesh Pathirana said.   

Minister Pathirana said text books will be printed by the Government Printing Corporation and added another 25,541,500 copies of 294 categories of school textbooks for an amount of Rs.2,059 million will be printed by selected private sector printing institutions. The Cabinet, on a proposal made by Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, has given the nod to make it compulsory to allocate 25% of the value of the publicity campaign budget of government and semi government establishments to insert advertisements and commercials in state owned media institutions, the Rupavahini, ITN, SLBC and Lake House.   

Minister Rambukwella said the purpose of the decision was to improve the financial status of the state owned media institutions and prevent them becoming a burden to the Treasury.