Education Ministry warns private schools against use of unapproved textbooks

The Ministry of Education has cautioned private schools to refrain from pressuring parents to buy unapproved textbooks, deeming such actions as exploiting families for financial gain. This warning emerged as the Ministry, in collaboration with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), conducts a thorough revision of the Basic School Curriculum for children from Kindergarten One (KG1) up to Primary Six.

Hasmin Mohammed, the Ministry's Press Secretary and Spokesperson, clarified that the ongoing curriculum review has not yet yielded an approved revised curriculum. He emphasized that public and private schools must continue using the current approved curriculum and NaCCA-endorsed textbooks until the process concludes.

Mohammed explained that the government will acquire the requisite textbooks and Teaching and Learning Materials (TLMs) to support the implementation of the revised curriculum once it receives NaCCA's approval. Nevertheless, he expressed concern over a growing trend in some private schools where parents are allegedly coerced into purchasing textbooks created by individual authors or in partnerships with schools, without NaCCA's approval.

These materials are reportedly being sold at steep prices, imposing undue financial strain on families. "Education should not translate into a marketplace for exploiting parents," Mohammed asserted.

The Ministry's spokesperson implored parents and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) to voice their opposition to proprietors of private schools who subject families to the use of unapproved learning materials for their own commercial ends. He noted that NaCCA, endowed with legislative authority by Parliament, possesses the mandate to enforce compliance and penalize schools found to utilize textbooks that have not received NaCCA's endorsement.

Mohammed stated that the Council is currently conducting field monitoring of schools and will impose sanctions on institutions that violate the law. He urged the public to back the government and NaCCA in their endeavors to ensure adherence to approved textbook requirements by private schools.

Mohammed stressed that parents should not be compelled to pay exorbitant prices for textbooks that have not been approved by NaCCA, alleging that some school proprietors are circumventing approved materials in pursuit of financial gain. He affirmed that the Ministry remains committed to safeguarding parents from exploitation whilst ensuring that schools utilize learning materials that conform to the national standards.