Students in school, but nothing to study from

 However, the Muang Hua Hin Municipality said they were pushing for the delivery of textbooks within this week.

The Nation visited the school yesterday following complaints from parents.

Acting school director Lamun Preyanont said the school, with 260 students from Kindergarten 1 to Prathom 6, had received other supplies but no textbooks so far. Students in Prathom 1 to 6 only had social science textbooks, Kindergarten 2 had some of the books in the curriculum, while Kindergarten 1 had nothing to study from.

Some schoolteachers, who asked not to be named, said textbook delivery is often delayed though it should not have happened this year because schools opened on May 18, instead of May 12. They added that many parents were concerned that their children would fall behind due to the delay.

Deputy Mayor Dr Rungroj Sileungsawat, who has been put in charge of the matter, said the curriculum had changed this year so new textbooks were needed. Besides, he said, this is the first time that schoolchildren will be given free textbooks according to the new government policy on education. Plus, he added, the extended public holidays this year had delayed the bureaucratic procedure and delivery.

Rungroj said he had already instructed contractors to speed up the delivery and get the books to schools within this week. He added that teachers had been told to use last year's textbooks in the meantime.