20000401

All text books

to be available

before academic

session

ISLAMABAD: All 74 text books published by National Book Foundation (NBF) for class one to twelve will be available in the market before start of the next academic year.

National Book Foundation, Managing Director, Ahmed Faraz told APP on Friday.

The books generally published in four colours using imported paper from Holland will carry low price tag.

He said the foundation that has turned into a profit-earning organisation now after years of running in losses has launched a scheme namely "Readers Club", the membership of which has reached 10,000 in the country.

Under this scheme, he said the members can purchase books amounting to Rs. 2,000 with half price from bookshops earmarked by the Foundation. Half price will be paid by the Foundation. About Rs. 3.5 million is paid annually under this scheme to promote reading habits, he said.

Ahmed Faraz said the foundation has also reproduced 1,223 titles of foreign text books uptill 1999 and saved a lot of foreign exchange. Over 110 titles of braille books besides Holy Quran with Urdu Translation have also been published which is a unique work in the world.

He said a bilingual children's magazine will be launched containing reading material for age groups from 8 to 15 years.ÑAPP