The Ministry of Education wishes to clarify to the public that it is providing assistance to schools in the form of free textbooks. However, the assistance is a gradual exercise whereby primary schools are being assisted first.
The assistance is only for the provision of textbooks prescribed by the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry wishes to let parents, guardians and the public know that the assistance excludes other school materials such as exercise books and stationery. Parents and guardians are expected to meet these items at their own costs.
The Ministry is aware that some members of the public are not fully aware as to what is being provided by the Ministry to schools under this scheme. Parents will still be responsible for buying exercise books, pens and pencils and other stationery used by the students.
The delivery of textbooks started in December 2009 with the Eastern Division, followed by the Northern in January this year. Schools in the Western Division are now receiving their textbooks before the assistance covers the Central Division.
To date about 721 primary schools have been served. Assistance for the secondary schools will begin in 2012.
Altogether about $1.5million is being used to provide textbooks free to primary schools for 2009-2011.
Minister for Education, National Heritage, Culture & Arts, Youth & Sports, Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment, Mr Filipe Bole.