Quetta: The Balochistan Secondary Education Department has achieved a historic milestone in the publication and distribution of textbooks for the academic year 2026, setting new benchmarks in transparency, cost efficiency, and timely delivery.
According to an official handout, more than 50 percent of textbooks printed by the Balochistan Textbook Board have already been completed and transported from Lahore to Quetta. As in previous years, the textbooks will be distributed free of cost to students across all districts well ahead of the academic calendar.
Through a fully transparent printing tender process, the provincial government achieved savings of approximately Rs125 crore, significantly easing the burden on the exchequer. These achievements reflect the vision of Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Khan Bugti, Provincial Minister for Education Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani, and the directives of Secretary Education Asfandyar Khan.
Chairman Dr. Gulab Khan Khilji ensured a substantial reduction in costs compared to previous years and introduced a modern, needs-based curriculum aligned with contemporary educational requirements, replacing outdated syllabi dating back to the 1970s.
Departmental figures reveal that during the academic year 2023-24, around 9.25 million textbooks were published at a cost of Rs2.124 billion.
In 2024-25, 9.309 million textbooks were printed at a cost of Rs1.086 billion. In contrast, for the academic year 2025-26, 11.5 million textbooks have been produced at a remarkably reduced cost of Rs883.1 million, highlighting unprecedented financial savings.
This year, textbooks were printed at a cost of Rs0.65 per page, the lowest among all provinces in the country. For comparison, the per-page printing cost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stood at Rs0.79.
According to the School Directorate, the demand for textbooks for the current academic year reached 11.5 million copies-an increase of 2.2 million compared to last year. This surge is primarily attributed to the revival of nearly 4,000 previously closed schools and the recruitment of more than 10,000 new teachers by the provincial government.
Under the National Curriculum 2022-23, new textbooks from primary to intermediate levels have been developed. The revised curriculum includes Nazra and translation of the Holy Quran, computer education, and supplementary learning material covering environment and climate change, health and physical education, citizenship, and ethics.
All textbooks were thoroughly evaluated in accordance with standard operating procedures through internal and provincial review committees. Additionally, on the instructions of the Secretary Education, a further two-tier review process was conducted to ensure quality and accuracy.
The Education Department further added that in the coming year, English-medium textbooks will be published on a priority basis. To enhance quality, bleached card paper will be used instead of traditional board paper. Moreover, unnecessary content has been reduced to ensure that teachers and students can complete the annual syllabus on time without placing undue academic burden on learners.
The department reaffirmed its commitment to continuing this model of transparent tendering, reduced costs, and improved quality in future textbook publication initiatives.