Pandemic makes students turn to second-hand books

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“The books were not put to proper use in the last session as children hardly went to school. Very few publishers have revised the content this time and most kids are happy to use old books.” – Jasmine, a parent and activist

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 26

Parents of Jaanvi, who has been recently promoted to Class V in a CBSE-affiliated school in Jalandhar, have not bought her any new books for the forthcoming session. Jaanvi is contended on getting books donated by her senior. The books are quite clean with not much scribbling done on them.

Sonia, a mother of a child studying in an ICSE school, too is looking for second-hand books of her daughter, a Class VIII student. She has been using a WhatsApp group of parents for a possible donor of books. The financial condition of the family is not good, due to losses incurred during the lockdown.

The pandemic has made people aware of the practice of recycle and reuse. As most families are reusing every discarded material, including old tyres, plasticware, cane sticks and wraps, same is the case with books. It is common to see parents arranging for books for the new session via social media platforms. Many have also announced they want to donate their childrens” schoolbooks of the last year and under-size uniforms, and are seeking responses from takers.

Some schools and teachers have also begun assisting the needy parents in arranging books for their wards. As schools are holding parents” meet, they have been sending messages to parents asking for voluntary donation of books of the previous session.

Jasmine, a parent and an activist, said, “It is indeed a good trend to donate books. The books were not put to proper use in the last session as children hardly went to school and we really don”t know what is in store for the next session. Very few publishers have revised the content this time and most kids are happy to use old books as all their friends are doing it.”