The environmental science textbook earmarked for Class IV students of government-run primary schools is replete with mistakes. Telegraph pictures

Paradip, May 13: The state school and mass education department is mired in yet another controversy. Factual flaws in environmental science textbooks have left teachers and students confused in Jagatsinghpur district.

The school and mass education department authorities have passed the buck to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan authorities, stating that they have nothing to do with printing and supply of primary level textbooks.

These error-ridden books were indicative of the academic disintegration of the primary education network. If the textbooks are flawed, one should not expect high quality classroom teaching and academic brilliance from students, said academicians.

Recently, glaring slip-ups had come to light in the textbooks for Class IV students in government-run upper primary schools. Teachers here were in for a shock as science books carried chapters on language and literature. The cover of a Class IV textbook was indicative of science subject, but it contained chapters on Oriya literature meant for Class III students.

These glaring mistakes are yet to be rectified. As a result, teachers and students have been left to the whims and fancies of textbook publication panel.

The textbook on environment science, titled Ame O Ama Paribesh (We and our environment), for Class IV students presents confusing facts on page 179. The earth revolves round the sun on its axis, literally called akhsya in Oriya language. But instead, in the book it has been written kakhsya meaning classroom in Oriya.

Besides, on pages 39 and 98, the practice chapters are full of discrepancies. There is hardly any numerical order. After question number one, two, and three, comes question six. The said chapter is replete with similar inconsistencies on page number 98. Also, there are inaccuracies in pictorial illustrations and graphics displaying earth’s revolution around the sun on its axis and moon’s revolution around the earth. There are numerous spelling errors in the textbook. Besides, the quality of printing is left much to be desired, creating disinterest among the students to go through the hazy pages. The error-ridden book has put teachers in a spot of bother. The teachers were forced to make manual correction of the mistakes, which might otherwise have misled students.

The district wing of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan shouldered the responsibility of supplying the textbooks for primary, upper primary and high schools across the district.

Nirmal Kumar Das, the district project coordinator, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, said: “Mistakes in Class IV environmental science book has been brought to our notice. We have written to the Orissa Primary Education Programme Authority for replacement of these error-ridden books.”