Free Textbook Distribution 2026: Punjab Delivers 30M Books to Students
The free textbook distribution for the 2026–27 session has begun across Punjab. The Punjab Education Curriculum, Training and Assessment Authority (PECTA) has printed over 30 million books. These textbooks will support students in government schools across the province.
Authorities plan to supply books to nearly 38,000 schools. As a result, millions of students will benefit from this initiative. Officials have already started sending books to district and tehsil offices.
Phased Distribution Plan
In the first phase, officials will distribute about 23.97 million textbooks. Students from Nursery to Grade 3 will receive full sets. Meanwhile, Grades 4 and 5 will get 80% of their required books.
Students in Grades 6 to 9 will receive 50% in this phase. However, Grade 10 students will get complete sets. This step helps manage supply and demand effectively.
Schools will request additional books for students left out. Therefore, authorities will complete distribution in the second phase. Officials expect the remaining stock to arrive soon.
PECTA will align distribution with updated enrolment data. In addition, Assistant Education Officers will monitor the process closely. They will use attendance records to ensure fair allocation.
Focus on Transparency and Access
Schools will first distribute books from the “old book bank.” These include used books collected from promoted students. Teachers already hold these books and will distribute them on reopening day.
After that, newly printed textbooks will reach classrooms. This step will ensure that all students receive updated materials. As a result, learning will continue without delays.
Teacher representatives, including Hamid Ali Shah, Akhyan Gul, and Basharat Iqbal Raja, confirmed the plan. They stated that schools have completed book collection and are ready for quick distribution.
