SUBANG JAYA: The Christmas spirit of giving on Boxing Day continued as students received free textbooks in schools across the country.

“I’m very happy to receive new textbooks as my parents can save about RM200,” said SMK Seafield Form Three student Mohd Azim Kasim, 15.

“I’m glad that more help is being provided for students. I will do my best to score 8As in the PMR exam next year.”

His schoolmate Muhammad Izzat Fauzi, 15, shared his elation.

“My parents normally buy textbooks for me and I’m quite surprised that textbooks are provided free now,” he said.

Free for everyone: Salamiah arranging textbooks according to classes at SMK USJ 12 in Subang Jaya on Wednesday. The textbooks are to be given free to students.

“There are two batches for textbook collection and we are in the midst of getting ready for the second one that will take place just before school reopens,” said school administrative staff member Salamiah Misran.

Things were not as rosy elsewhere as complaints that mission schools received old and shabby textbooks surfaced.

“Although old textbooks can still be used, new books should be distributed to all schools in the interest of fairness,” said National Parent-Teacher Associations Collaborative Council president Datuk Dr Mohd Ali Hassan.

Education Ministry director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom said that he would look into the matter.

In PENANG, State Education director Ahmad Husain said all schools in that state, including the partially-aided and religious schools, would receive free textbooks before the new school term begins.

Ahmad however, said parents should not expect all the books given out to be brand new.

“Most people are under the impression that their children will receive all brand new books. They will get a mixture of some new and some old books, ‘’ he said.

Ahmad added that if children received books that were in very bad condition, they they could bring them back to the school and have them exchanged.

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