Online Reporter
Herald Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Newspapers Group, the country’s largest diversified and integrated media company, is set to partner with Mary Mount Teachers College in the production, printing, distribution and marketing of books.
The project will give impetus to the Heritage-Based Education covering Early Child Development up to University level, a development that is expected to revive a reading culture.
Zimpapers senior management team, led by chief executive, Mr William Chikoto, held a meeting with a high-level team from Marymount Teachers College, led by its principal, Mr Martin Mukwezha in Harare yesterday, where they discussed the project.
In an interview after their meeting, Mr Mukwezha said they envisage producing high-quality books that will assert the country’s high literacy.
“The project will be in the form of the production of books, we distribute them to schools and also to the different areas of the country. And eventually, we will be able to export some of these books into SADC and even beyond, because the books are going to be of high quality,” said Mr Mukwezha.
“There will be two giants that are going to combine forces. Zimpapers, a giant in publishing, editorial and distribution of material. Then Marymount, a giant in academic expertise in terms of providing the authors, creating content for the different levels. So as you can see, with two giants, something good is going to come out of it.”
He said the production of books will also go a long way in reviving a reading culture.
“At Marymount Care College, we are also engaging in research and one of the research findings is that the reading culture is dying. So we believe that through this joint venture, we will be able to motivate people back to the reading culture. We are not only thinking about making money.
“No, we are also thinking about how we can make a contribution to the education sector, to improve the quality of education in our country. You cannot talk of the quality of education if you don’t have quality books,” he said.
Mr Chikoto said Zimpapers will use its technical expertise and distribution network in the production and marketing of books.
“We are going to be providing the expertise in terms of the writing of the books and, to a greater extent, the editing as well. We are coming in with the history of publishing, with the printing press, which we are going to show them today. We also have a distribution network. We can distribute books throughout the country. We have already set up bookshops,” said Mr Chikoto.
“One of them is here with another in Mutare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Chinhoyi and other cities where these books will be published and distributed. We also have a media platform to market the books.
“Once a book is published, it will be on our radio stations, TV stations and newspapers throughout the country, so that people know that there is such high-quality material that is available. So this is an excellent partnership. We have the expertise in academia and also our expertise in publishing and printing.”
He said they will also work on efforts to cultivate a reading culture.
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