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Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education yesterday launched the second batch of the new curriculum framework textbooks in Harare, procured under the $9 million Education Development Fund (EDF) facility, which is administered by UNICEF.

Speaking at the launch, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavima said the total number of textbooks procured for the whole country in Phase 1 was 1,2 million.

“These books were bought at a total cost of $1,8 million,” he said.

“The textbooks distributed were for ECD A, Grades 1 and 3 as well as Forms 1 and 3. During today’s launch, we will see 60 726 textbooks for the updated curriculum being distributed to three districts – Mazowe District (37 primary and nine secondary), Shamva District (18 primary and five secondary) and Zvimba District (74 primary and 16 secondary).

“The exercise will continue to the rest of the districts, we expect them to get books before the start of the second term.

“The books for the primary schools are 54 992 and for the secondary schools are 5 734.”

Prof Mavima said the launch also marked the roll out of the national distribution of books to the remaining 68 districts in the country, followed by the second phase immediately.

In the second phase, Government will procure books for ECD B, Grade 4, Form 2 and 4.

He said the procurement of the text- books was in line with the implementation of the updated curriculum which started last year in ECD A, Grades 1 and 3 as well as forms 1, 3 and 5.

“The implementation of the updated curriculum has moved up this year to ECD B, Grades 2 and 4 as well as Forms 4 and 6,” said Prof Mavima.

“The provision of textbooks and other support teaching and learning materials is central to quality education delivery.

“The availability of textbooks is envisaged as a way of improving the national pass rate in both primary and secondary schools. Today, the ministry is again launching the textbooks.

“This will be followed by the distribution of the textbooks to schools.”