HARARE - The Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture has intensified its textbook delivery by distributing the much-needed materials to 500 schools per week. Senator David Coltart said that although the programme had experienced a few false starts, it was now back on track. The textbook programme is proceeding well. It encountered some problems due to insufficient vehicles suitable to deliver to rural schools, but these have been dealt with and the UNICEF (United Nations Childrens Education Fund) assure me that they are now delivering to 500 schools per week up from 80, he said.
The minister said the programme should be complete before the first term starts next year. They anticipate finishing the distribution to all primary schools prior to the commencement of the 1st term of 2011, he said. Senator Coltart said the ministry and its donor partners were proceeding with the secondary schools textbooks project. A decision was made last week to proceed with the Secondary textbook project. This will initially involve the purchase of textbooks in five subjects with delivery anticipated by mid-2011. There has been a delay in this exercise caused by insufficient funds which have, however, now been secured, he said.
Through the Education Transition Fund (ETF) the ministry printed textbooks for primary schools in a move meant to improve the pupil text book ratio and restore basic education for all to Zimbabweans. With the help of international partners, through the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), Zimbabwe secured US$30 million for the production of primary school textbooks. The minister did not say how much had been secured for the secondary textbooks, but mentioned that the Scandinavian states had been very generous in their support of Zimbabwean education.
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