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This is a Government-initiated programme being co-ordinated by Unicef and the donor community.
A totak of 5 757 primary schools benefited from the fund created two years ago with the aim of mobilising resources for the education sector.
“We will be launching the programme for distribution on November 3 in Harare and the first consignment is already in the country, ready for distribution. The whole printing exercise has been completed.
“We are just waiting for the other consignment to be in the country and the respective schools will get their share. A large number of the books were printed in South Africa and others from other Sadc countries including us (Zimbabwe).”
The textbook to pupil ratio stands at 1:10 at most secondary schools while an estimated 15 percent of schools in rural areas have no textbooks at all.
The Government’s target ratio is 1:1 by first term next year.
Minister Coltart said the books would go a long way in improving the country’s education standards, especially in the rural areas.
“We have focused on printing books for six main subjects namely Mathematics, English, Science, Geography, History and the indigenous languages,” he said.
“Our country has achieved a lot in terms of education and these are the standards that we should strive to maintain. This is a huge step in the sector because it was disheartening to see more than 10 pupils reading a single textbook. Other rural schools do not have even a single textbook except probably those used by the teacher.
“Rural schools are the ones that are affected most when it comes to shortages and we are going to concentrate more on them.”
Minister Coltart commended rural teachers for their commitment to educate pupils under deplorable conditions.
Most rural teachers do not get incentives from parents like their urban counterparts.
He said the Government secured more than US$52 million for the review and reform of the country’s curriculum, which was last done in the 1980s.
“The country’s curriculum has not been updated in line with technological advancements,” said Minister Coltart.
Online Reporter