Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate free textbook distribution programme for the academic year 2018 on Saturday (Dec 30), and the 'National Textbook Festival' is set to be celebrated across the country on Jan 1.
The PM will formally open the free textbook distribution programme by handing over books of primary and secondary levels to students at a function at her official Ganabhaban residence in the morning, local media reports said citing official sources.
Textbooks will be distributed among over 4 crore pre-primary, primary, secondary, ibtedayi, dakhil vocational, SSC vocational, small anthropological groups and visually-challenged students across the country.
Referring to the government's historic decision to distribute free textbooks, experts said this has reduced the rate of school dropouts and increased the number of students at primary and secondary levels.
They described the initiative of free textbook distribution as a "milestone" in the education sector as it encouraged students to continue their studies.
The present government started distributing free textbooks from 2010 academic year.
