ISLAMABAD: Two months after the commencement of the academic session, the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) has issued a revised syllabus for three subjects.

Students will now have to wait for new books, which will disrupt their studies in the middle of the academic session.

Each year, the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and National Book Foundation (NBF), the supplier of textbooks, fail to provide textbooks to students on time.

This year, for the first time, books were supplied to the students by the end of May. However, now according to the FBISE notification, three books have been changed.

According to the FBISE notification issued on June 1, the subjectsof Pakistan Studies, Islamiyat and Ethics will be taught for two years in Class 9 and 10.

The total marks for Matric have also been increased from 1,050 to 1,100. Earlier, Pakistan Studies carrying 75 marks was taught only in class 9 and Islamiyat also carrying 75 marks was taught in class 10.

However, according to the new scheme of study, Pakistan Studies carrying 100 marks will be taught in classes 9 and 10. Similarly, Islamiyat worth 100 marks will be taught in both classes and students of other faiths can opt for Ethics instead of Islamiyat.

`We are unhappy with the timing of the notification. If it was imperative to bring changes in the course books, it should have been done well before the session began,` said a senior FDE official, requesting anonymity.

The of ficial said Matric students were studying Islamiyat and Pakistan Studies books published by the National Book Foundation.

`Our students will now have to study Punjab Textbook Board`s books, by two private publishers.

This means students have to be given new books.He said students would be given new books in August when they return to school af ter summer holidays.

The official said that the FDE would approach the National Book Foundation in the next few days for these books to be purchased.

He said the FDE had requested FBISE to not make abrupt changes in the course. `But the officials at the board ignored our requests, he said.

However, FBISE Director Research Zulfiqar Ali Rizvi told Dawn the FBISE took the FDE on board before issuing the notification.

`Before issuing the notification, we (FBISE) surveyed the markets to ensure the books are available. The books are available for both English and Urdu medium schools. The FDE can easily arrange these books for their students,` he said.

Mr Rizvi said those students who have passed class 9 and are currently in class 10 will continue to study according to the old pattern. `Those class 9 students appearing for the annual examinations in 2016 should study according to the new scheme,` he said.