Mozambique’s Education Minister, Samaria Tovela, is negotiating with local firms to print school textbooks domestically, aiming to resolve distribution issues stemming from errors in past publications. The initiative seeks to reduce dependence on foreign printing. Tovela confirmed that 87% of textbooks for the current year have been distributed, despite cyclone-related challenges affecting access to certain districts.
The Mozambican Education Minister, Samaria Tovela, has announced that negotiations are underway with local companies to print school textbooks within Mozambique for the public education system. This initiative aims to address the distribution problems the education system has faced, which have been exacerbated by poorly qualified coordinators and errors in previously printed textbooks in subjects such as Geography, Mathematics, and History.
The Mozambican Association of Printing Industries (AIGM) advocates for the prioritization of national printing firms in public tenders, urging the government to support local capacities instead of favoring foreign companies, particularly those from Portugal. Despite this, financing agencies continue to prefer international tenders, leading to contracts awarded to non-Mozambican firms.
Tovela stated that printing operations would commence this year, emphasizing the importance of achieving a feasible cost for the state. She affirmed that while efforts are being made to prepare for the 2026 school year, a portion of the textbooks would still be printed domestically within this year.
Regarding the current distribution, Tovela announced that 87 percent of textbooks have been successfully distributed, with plans to complete the distribution by the end of March. However, the recent Cyclone Jude has hindered access to certain districts, complicating the distribution process. Tovela remarked, “We have a problem, because of the cyclone we had in Nampula, which cut the roads. We are trying to see how we, in coordination with the transport companies, can effectively finish the distribution.”
The Mozambican government is taking significant steps to enhance its educational infrastructure by promoting local printing of school textbooks, responding to long-standing distribution issues. With intentions to support national companies and ensure affordable book production, the Ministry aims to improve the quality and accessibility of educational materials. Despite natural challenges affecting distribution, efforts are ongoing to meet educational needs efficiently.
Original Source: clubofmozambique.com
