Panaji: History textbooks of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) will be introduced for the current academic year (2008-09) in Goa schools, as the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) has decided to withdraw its class 10 History textbooks.

A high level meeting of the Board officials was held in Margao, 33 Kms from here, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Digamber Kamat, who also holds the portfolio of the Education Minister, to discuss the matter.

Chairman of GBSHSE Prof. Bhaskar G Nayak announced this decision and also told that the class 10 Hindi textbook used during the last session will be retained for this academic year.

The Study Committee said that the books were withdrawn as the Marathi translation of the History textbook had several grammatical and typographical errors. This made it difficult even for the teachers to understand what was written in the textbook.

The new books will be introduced in both English and Marathi medium schools of Goa.

The Board also resolved that the replacement textbooks will be provided free of cost to all students as the new academic session has already started.

By - Sanjay Borkar

Sanjay Borkar is a freelance journalist with the National Network of Education (NNE). He can be contacted at goajournalist@rediffmail.com.