- The main task of the Department of Educational Publications is to print and duly distribute the textbooks required by all the school students and the student monks in Pirivenas, through out the Island, free of charge. Accordingly, the Cabinet has already been granted the approval to get it printed 13,210,600 copies of 80 types out of 410 books from the State Printing Corporation, Department of Government Printing and Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited, and the relevant printing orders have already been referred to the said Institutions. A further 30,862,500 copies of textbooks from 330 categories have to be printed during this year through the Private Printing Institutions. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, the Minister of Education, to get 30,862,500 copies of textbooks from 330 categories printed from 19 printing institutions of private sector, to enable the textbooks prescribed for the year 2016 to be distributed in schools before 2015?12?03, as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee, was approved by the Cabinet.