FINAL REPORT
A strategy for implementing a new educational
materials policy in primary schools
United Republic of Tanzania
Andy Smart
International Book Development
13 April 2003
International Book Development Ltd
305-307 Chiswick High Road
London, W4 4HH
tel: + 44 (0) 20 8742 7474
fax: + 44 (0) 20 8747 8715
e-mail: enquiries@ibd.uk.net
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Summary of recommendations
3. Background
4. Current role of players in educational materials provision
5. Curriculum issues
6. Educational materials development and approval
7. Technical/durability issues
8. Educational materials costs
9. Educational materials availability
10. Distribution
11. Use of educational materials
12. Financing educational materials provision
13. Monitoring and auditing of use of funds
14. Conclusions and recommendations
Annexes
1. Schedule of activities to implement school-based procurement
2. Training schedule to support implementation of school-based procurement
3. Technical assistance required to support implementation of school-based procurement
4. Summary of other technical assistance required for 2003-04
5. The Children’s Book Project and the Tusome Vitabu project
6. Schedule of work for consultant’s December 2002 visit
7. List of participants at publishers meeting, 6 December 2002
8. List of participants at round table meeting, 11 December 2002
9. ToRs for December 2002 visit
2
Acknowledgements
The consultant would like to thank Mrs Alice Rugumyamheto for the considerable support
provided during the December visit. Without her insights, guidance and assistance it is
unlikely that the objectives set out in the terms of reference could have been achieved. Thanks
are due also to the many people from MOEC, PO-RALG, the publishers, booksellers, district
education officers, inspectors, headteachers and teachers, who made themselves available to
discuss educational materials issues in Tanzania.
Abbreviations used in this report
BEDC
Basic Education Development Committee
BMU
Book Management Unit
BSAT
Booksellers Association of Tanzania
CBP
Children’s Book Project
DEO
District Education Officer
DFID
Department for International Development (UK)
DGIS
Directorate General for International Co-operation (development agency of
the Netherlands Foreign Ministry)
ECU
Education Co-ordination Unit
EM
Educational Materials
EMAC
Educational Materials Approval Committee
GoT
Government of Tanzania
INSET
In-service training
ITP
Interim Textbook Programme
LPO
Local Purchase Order
MOEC
Ministry of Education and Culture
NECTA
National Examinations Council of Tanzania
PATA
Publishers Association of Tanzania
PEDP
Primary Education Development Plan
PPP
Pilot Project for Publishing
PRESET
Pre-service training
PO-RALG
President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government
QITWG
Quality Improvement Technical Working Group
SIDA
Swedish International Development Agency
TIE
Tanzania Institute of Education
TSh
Tanzanian Shilling
UPE
Universal Primary Education
WB
World Bank
WEC
Ward Education Coordinators
Exchange rate
At the time of the consultant’s December 2002 visit the rate of exchange was US$1= 980
TSh. By February 2003 the rate had risen to US$1=1,050 TSh. For the purposes of this report,
the exchange rate has been approximated as US$1=1,000 TSh.
3
1. Introduction
Following decades of government monopoly textbook supply, the Government of Tanzania in
1991 adopted a new textbook policy with the long-term objective of liberalisation and
decentralisation of textbook publishing and distribution. After several years of gradual
transition towards this long-term objective, GoT has now indicated its readiness to take the
final step in the transition process and formulate a strategy for full decentralisation and
liberalisation. The present consultant was therefore asked to design a proposed strategy for
fully decentralised textbook procurement and at the same time to examine several other areas
of quality improvement. (For Terms of Reference for first visit see Annex 6.)
This report is the result of research undertaken in Tanzania during November-December 2002
and has been updated following discussions in Dar es Salaam with MOEC, PO-RALG,
publishers and booksellers during a second visit of one week in February 2003.
The report is based on policy imperatives articulated by MOEC, PO-RALG and the
development partners and is intended to lead towards the formation of a detailed
implementation strategy for educational materials provision in Tanzania within the framework
of the Government of Tanzania’s Primary Education Development Plan.
The report was submitted as a draft to MOEC and PO-RALG in January and was then
discussed in country in February with key MOEC and PO-RALG officers, following which
the consultant made revisions of fact and of emphasis. The revised report was then reviewed
by QITWG, whose comments have also been taken account of. The consultant would like to
thank members of QITWG for their detailed review and has indicated where appropriate in
this revised version wherever the consultant’s views differ from those of QITWG.
2. Summary of recommendations
Detailed recommendations will be found in section 14. The following sets out a summary of
the recommendations. A reformed educational materials provision system would be
implemented under the following six sub-components:
2.1 Curriculum issues (see section 14.1)
 The current curriculum review should include a review of current educational materials
approved for use in Tanzanian primary schools, in order to ensure that learning materials
provide effective vehicles for the delivery of the revised curriculum.

There should be a study of the experience of other African countries in developing
school-based learning materials to improve student awareness of HIV/AIDS.
2.2 Educational materials financing (see 14.9)
 A system of school-based decentralised textbook financing, selection, ordering and
procurement should be introduced. The rationale for this recommendation is provided in
section 14.6.1, below.

It would be preferable to regularise and make predictable the release of funds for
educational materials in order to increase operational efficiency and thus reduce costs to
publishers and suppliers. Reduced costs to publishers and suppliers would inevitably
reduce procurement costs for the educational system.
4

Monitoring and financial auditing mechanisms need to be designed and implemented in
order to support school-based funding, selection and procurement.

Funds for educational materials need to be maintained at least at the level recommended
in the PEDP plan, ie US$4 per pupil per year, in order to achieve textbook:pupil ratios of
1:2 (Note: It is not expected to reach 1:1 by 2006, as targeted in PEDP. If 1:1 book:pupil
ratios are to be achieved with the current curriculum textbook specification, the annual
financial allocation will need to be significantly increased.)
2.3 Educational materials evaluation and approval (see 14.2 – 14.5)
 A revised textbook evaluation and approval system should be designed and implemented.
The evaluation should be competitive, with price as a significant factor in evaluation, and
carried out only once per year. The evaluation instrument should include marks for each
criterion, with weighting for different criteria agreed after consideration by MOEC.
Publishers should be required to conform to MOEC timetable for the development of new
materials and submission for evaluation, rather than MOEC conforming to publishers’
timetables. A revised evaluation and approval system designed on the basic principles
described above – but genuinely reflecting the Tanzanian situation and requirements –
will achieve downward pressure on prices and upward pressure on content and
presentation quality. A detailed rationale for the introduction of a synchronised,
competitive system of textbook evaluation is provided in section 14.2, below

There should be a fixed period of textbook approval1 with annual price increases for those
titles awarded ‘approved status’ being limited to an agreed formula for the calculation of
annual increases in production costs. This should be a condition of the award of approved
textbook status.

Standard minimum production specifications should be introduced into the evaluation
system, in order to improve manufacturing quality, achieve extended book life and
therefore maximise cost amortisation and reduce recurrent textbook budget.

The timing of the introduction of any new system of textbook evaluation and approval
should be considered when planning the introduction of the revised curriculum. If
possible, the introduction of new educational materials should coincide with the
introduction of the revised curriculum. However, certain aspects of the current system of
evaluation and approval could be reviewed immediately, including the use of marking
bands (see 14.2.5).

GoT budget should include a provision for the cost of regular EM evaluation and
approval exercises.

Suitable MOEC officers should carry out a study tour to Kenya and Uganda to observe
the methodology of evaluation and approval in those countries.

If the textbook procurement system is to be decentralised with immediate effect it will
require a unified list of nationally approved textbooks, complete with prices, to assist
schools to select from the available textbooks and ensure schools pay only the published
textbook prices.
1
The period should ideally relate to a multiple of the periods of expected textbook life, so that new
textbooks are developed and procured at the appropriate time. For example, if the planned textbook life
is 3 years, then the period of approval could be six years.
5
2.4 Educational materials distribution (see 14.6)
 Within the general context of school-based financing and responsibility for selection
described above, GoT should consider a system of school-based procurement in which
schools are provided with cash to procure their own textbooks.
If GoT opts to introduce a national cash-based decentralised system during 2003, for
school year 2004, a substantial programme of system design, training and monitoring
needs will need to be developed and implemented. Work will need to begin on developing
this system as soon as possible.

Wherever possible, the development of supply methodologies that provide opportunities
for new and existing local booksellers should be actively pursued.

There should be a programme of training for potential booksellers on strategies for
effective textbook supply.

Support should be provided to BSAT (Booksellers’ Association of Tanzania) to enable
them to expand their membership and to play an effective role in supporting and
regulating the new system.

There should be a programme of training for schools on textbook selection and payment
method, as well as storage, with supporting documentation and manuals.
2.5 Educational materials use and storage (see 14.7)
 Textbook selection and textbook use at the level of individual schools should be
integrated into PRESET and INSET.

There should be a programme of training in stock management, store-keeping and book
and educational materials conservation to reduce loss and damage, increase average book
life and thus reduce recurrent EM costs (with supporting manuals).

There should be investment in the creation of a national programme of primary school
libraries/reading corners/book boxes (as appropriate) to improve reading performance and
thus to support generally increased standards of student performance2.

The school library programme may be linked to programmes for upgraded school storage
to reduce loss and damage, increase average book life and thus reduce recurrent textbook
costs. However, school storage is urgently required regardless of any parallel programme
of library development, and short-term measures to improve storage will be required in
order to support the expected increase in EM funds available.

There should be a study of other countries’ successes in resource-based learning and
readership/literacy programmes.
2.6 Capacity building (see 14.8)
 An Educational Materials Unit is recommended to coordinate all the proposed activities.
The location, precise responsibilities and reporting lines for this unit have not yet been
discussed in detail. It should be noted however, that many of the tasks of such a unit
2
All available international research indicates that the availability and use in primary schools of a modest stock of
appropriate supplementary reading materials has a dramatic impact on reading ability, vocabulary development,
comprehension and writing skills, and thus, in overall student performance and achievement
6
would be technical rather than administrative and would therefore perhaps be more
suitably located in MOEC rather than in PO-RALG.
In order to implement the above recommendations, it is envisaged that while there would be
minor technical assistance in the area of curriculum reform, the main areas of technical
assistance would be required as follows (see Annexes 3 and 4 for details of technical
assistance):
Component 1
Design, training and implementation of school-based financing, selection
and procurement system
Component 2
Support for the development of bookseller distribution
Component 3
Improvement to system of educational materials evaluation and approval
Component 4
Educational materials use and storage, including library development
7
3. Background
3.1 The structure of the primary education system
Basic statistics on primary education (school year 2002)3
Regions
21
Districts
121
Primary schools
12,144
Pupils
5,952,691
Average school size 490
Primary education comprises seven years. In 1998 the introduction of a new curriculum
reduced the number of subjects studied at primary level from 12 to 6. The current required
subjects are:
 Kiswahili (all grades)
 Mathematics (all grades)
 English (all grades)
 Science (all grades)
 Social Studies (from Standard 3)
 Life Skills (all grades)
The teaching medium in government primary schools is Kiswahili. National exams are
administered at the end of Standard 4 and Standard 7. Failure in the Standard 4 exam leads to
the pupil repeating the year. The subjects examined in the two exams are:
Standard 4 and 7
Paper 1: Kiswahili, English
Paper 2: Maths
Paper 3: Social Studies, Science
The school year runs from January to December.
3.2 Textbook policy since 1991
After decades of centrally controlled, non-competitive, state EM provision, the Government
of Tanzania announced in 1991 a commitment to competitive EM provision. The two key
objectives of the new textbook policy were:
 Liberalisation of EM development, and support for competitive local publishing
 Decentralisation of EM procurement
The MOEC policy document (Policy on Production and Distribution of School/College
Books, December 1991) describes a gradual process of transformation of the system of
provision, arriving at fully decentralised procurement in which booksellers supply EM to
schools.4 No date, however, was indicated for achieving full decentralisation to school-level
procurement.
As preparation for the new policy, the Book Management Unit (BMU) was established in
1990 in order to coordinate the work of production, procurement and distribution of EM for
all levels (pre-primary, primary, secondary and teacher training colleges).
The decentralisation of procurement has been introduced gradually since 1992, when 5
districts piloted a system for procuring exercise books. (All districts were included in this
3
Figures from the PEDP National Monitoring Report (September 2002), annex 6.1
In 1995 the MOEC published an Education and Training Policy, which addressed very briefly the issue of EM
provision, but added little to the overall EM policy objectives.
4
8
system by 1999). Decentralisation to Districts was intended as an intermediate step towards
full decentralisation to schools. Following these preparatory activities, all districts were
allocated funds for the procurement of all educational materials including textbooks in 1999.
In 1998 a new system of textbook evaluation and approval was adopted, which is currently in
use (see 6.2–6.3). The system is managed by EMAC (Educational Materials Approval
Committee) in MOEC. The evaluation system has allowed a policy of alternative textbooks to
be introduced, replacing the previous monopolistic textbook provision system.
Under UPE, which was re-introduced in 2001, parents do not contribute to the cost of
educational materials, but most parents make small contributions to the cost of extra exercise
books in addition to those supplied from the Districts. These costs, in addition to the cost of
uniforms, are now the only expense that parents are expected to bear.
One of the major organisational changes in educational financing under PEDP (see 3.5 below)
is the assignment to PO-RALG (President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local
Government) of the responsibility for delivering primary education. The disbursement of
funds to districts for the purchase of educational materials is managed jointly by MOEC and
PO-RALG. MOEC, however, still has full responsibility for secondary schools.
3.3 Donor support since 1991
By far the largest financial support for the process of liberalising primary school educational
materials provision and for the procurement of educational materials during the 1990s has
come from SIDA, who also provided funds initially – while textbooks were published and
supplied centrally – for the purchase of all inputs for the manufacturing of textbooks, and for
the purchase of other educational materials such as slates, chalk, exercise books etc. The
World Bank, DFID, DGIS and the EU have also played important roles in the financing of
educational materials
3.4 PPP and ITP
The first educational materials project to be launched following the announcement of the new
textbook policy in 1991 was PPP (Pilot Project for Publishing) in 1993, supported by SIDA
and the World Bank. The project aimed at the development of local (Tanzanian) publishing,
the development of a multi-textbook system and the decentralisation of educational materials
procurement. Local publishers received a considerable amount of training and were provided
with opportunities to publish textbooks for government schools.
Over a period of some years PPP achieved a transformation in textbook provision, from a
monopoly-textbook system to a multi-textbook system. In the early phases of PPP (there were
four altogether), publishers competed to publish manuscripts originally developed by the TIE.
The publishers then supplied the printed textbooks to the MOEC central warehouse. Under
PPP4, however, in 1999, two significant reforms were introduced: publishers submitted
alternative titles for evaluation and approval by the newly formed Educational Materials
Approval Committee; publishers also supplied the approved published textbooks to District
warehouses instead of to MOEC’s central warehouse. This was the first, albeit tentative, step
towards decentralising educational materials procurement.
The Interim Textbook Programme (ITP), which succeeded the PPP, began in October 1999
and ran until June 2001. Funds were provided by SIDA, with further funds from DGIS, the
EU and DFID. Together the funds provided a prototype for the funding arrangements to be
introduced under PEDP.
Under ITP, all Districts were allocated funds for procurement of EM and exercise books, as
well as funds for the distribution of the materials. The objective of ITP was to attain a
textbook:pupil ratio of 1:3 in Std 1-4 (funds were provided for Std 1-4 only).
9
3.5 PEDP
3.5.1 Objectives of PEDP
Introduced in 2001, the Primary Education Development Plan (PEDP) is a major part of the
GoT’s Education Sector Development Programme. It has transformed almost all bi-lateral or
multi-lateral project support into a sector-wide approach. The main objectives of PEDP are:
 Improving education quality
 Expanding school access
 Increasing school retention
 Improving resource availability, allocation and utilization
The impact of the first year of PEDP has been considerable, following the abolition of school
fees for primary schools. Enrolment has soared by at least 45%, according to the PEDP
National Monitoring Report (September 2002).
PEDP covers five main areas, each of which is supported by a technical working group in
MOEC:
 expansion in enrolment
includes increasing pupil enrolment and teacher recruitment
 quality improvement
teaching methods and teaching/learning resources (this also includes capacity building,
namely pre-service and in-service training, educational management, EMIS)
 strengthening institutional arrangements
administrative issues from centre to local level, including monitoring and evaluation
 cross-cutting issues
such as gender, HIV/AIDS, environment
 resource allocation, cost, efficiency and financing
A detailed description of the precise objectives regarding the provision of educational
materials can be found in the Technical Annex on Quality Improvement, which is part of the
PEDP document.
PEDP is managed by the Basic Education Development Committee (BEDC) and jointly
administered by MOEC (through the PEDP Coordinating Unit) and PO-RALG (through the
Education Co-ordination Unit).
Mechanisms have been agreed between the GoT and the WB for the release of annual
tranches of funds. The present consultancy on instructional materials provision is part of the
mechanism for the release of the second tranche in January 2003. However, the consultancy
falls under the terms of Strengthening Institutional Arrangements, rather than Quality
Improvement, since it has as its primary objective the development and implementation of the
strategy for the decentralisation of EM procurement to school level. This indicates the
importance that MOEC attaches to decentralising EM provision. There are, however, a
number of other issues relating to quality improvements (e.g. textbook content and
presentation and the effectiveness of textbooks and other learning materials as vehicles for the
delivery of the curriculum, plus the effective usage of learning materials in the classroom and
at home), and cost reduction (durability, extended book life and improved cost amortisation)
that also need to be addressed in the development of a comprehensive and integrated EM
provision strategy.
3.5.2 PEDP timeframe
PEDP became operational in July 2001 and will run up to 2006. In practice the Plan achieved
a national profile with the start of the school year in January 2002, when enrolments soared as
10
a result of the abolition of school fees for government primary schools and the introduction of
UPE.5
3.5.3 Financial support for educational materials under PEDP
A major feature of PEDP is a system of capitation grants, disbursed to each school according
to its enrolment. A grant of $10 per pupil is scheduled. The funds will be disbursed via the
Districts. The grant is intended to be used as follows:
 $4 per pupil for textbooks
 $6 per pupil for other teaching/learning materials, exam papers, school operation and
administration, and cluster-based teacher development6
Under the first year of PEDP, funds for almost all non-textbook purchases were disbursed to
newly opened school bank accounts, for the schools’ own management.7 (In addition to the
capitation grant, schools receive development grants for construction and rehabilitation.) It is
intended that the full grant will ultimately be disbursed to school level; however, for the first
year of PEDP at least, the $4/pupil textbook grant is being managed by Districts, who order
textbooks on behalf of schools.
All funds received by the school are managed by a School Committee, comprising the
headteacher, teachers, students, parents, and community members.
4. Current role of each player in educational materials provision
4.1 Quality Improvement Technical Working Group
QITWG (see 3.5.1) manages the development of policy on all quality inputs into education,
particularly:
 Curriculum development
 INSET/PRESET
 Educational materials
 Student assessment
 Examinations
 Monitoring and evaluation
4.2 BMU
The Book Management Unit has been the central liaison point for all activities related to
educational materials. Prior to PEDP it was fully responsible for activities relating to PPP and
ITP, and managed all educational materials funds within the projects. Currently, with the
transition from project financing to budget support, the BMU has a reduced role.
4.3 EMAC
The Educational Materials Approval Committee is responsible for evaluating and approving
textbooks and other materials. Its secretariat is the BMU. EMAC’s capacity has recently been
affected from a lack of funds to be able to arrange evaluation exercises, or to train evaluators.
Many publishers have expressed concern at the length of time currently taken by EMAC to
evaluate submissions.
4.4 PEDP Coordination Unit
5
The introduction of UPE was supported by a national publicity campaign using the media and involving His
Excellency the President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
6 The precise breakdown of the $6 is as follows: $2 for minor repairs; $2 for other educational materials; $1 for
administration costs; and $1 for school-based exams
7 In addition to funds for educational materials, Districts also retained control over funds for school furniture.
11
This is the body within MOEC that is responsible for liasing with PO-RALG. (See 4.5
below.)
4.5 PO-RALG
PO-RALG is responsible for disbursing funds to the Districts and for monitoring and auditing
the use of the funds.8 With the transfer of authority for delivering primary education, from
MOEC to PO-RALG, it is a vital player in all educational materials activities. The detailed
work of managing fund disbursement and monitoring lies in the Education Coordination Unit
(ECU) at PO-RALG.
4.6 Regional Educational Offices
Regional Education Officers and Regional Academic Officers should help monitor the
effective procurement of educational materials by Districts.
4.7 District Education Offices
At present, the District Education Office is the main – if not only – contact point between
MOEC/PO-RALG on the one hand and schools on the other. It is currently responsible for
collecting data on school enrolments and on educational materials stocks in every school, and
for ordering all educational materials on behalf of schools.
The procurement procedures adopted by Districts have varied. Some Districts advertise a
‘tender’9 for unnamed textbooks (the tender might be for example: Mathematics for Standard
1: 5,000 copies). The District then evaluates publishers’ submissions. (All Districts were
given training in textbook evaluation under ITP.) Other Districts, however, order direct from
publishers without advertising a tender. There is clearly a wide variety of approaches adopted
by different Districts.
The Districts also deliver all textbooks to schools, or arrange for schools to collect them. This
involves sorting the publishers’ deliveries into a pack for each school. On average, Districts
reported that they are able to deliver to approximately 5 schools per day, although publishers
report that distribution to schools is often delayed considerably. The District uses its own
funds to distribute the textbooks.
4.8 Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE)
TIE is responsible for the development of the curriculum, as well as for providing guidance
on teaching methodology. It has already published methodological guides for secondary
school teachers and is now working on similar guides for primary.
4.9 Schools
Schools provide data on enrolment and on educational materials stock to Districts at the
beginning of each school year (January). However, the data on stock consists only of how
many items are available per subject and grade. There is no indication of the title of the
textbook, for example. Schools have so far received no training specific to educational
materials purchase, storage or use (apart from schools that have taken part in specific
readership development projects – see Annex 5).
A school committee in each school is responsible for decisions on spending related to other
school needs, such as building classrooms, rehabilitation, exercise books, etc, although all
schools should spend within guidelines issued by MOEC.
8
See for example the PEDP National Monitoring Report. The report was prepared by a team drawn from PORALG and MOEC
9
The process is not strictly a tender, since price forms no significant part of the bid. This is one of the reasons that
the lack of transparency of the process has given rise to charges of ‘interference’ and price inflation
12
4.10 Publishers
Local publishers received significant support from MOEC in the 1990s. Since 1999,
publishers have been able to submit their own titles for approval by EMAC. Following the
approval of the title, the publisher may market the title on the open market. The textbook
market since 1999, however, has been centred on District-level orders.
There are approximately 3010 educational publishers in Tanzania, of whom around 8 have
experience in publishing textbooks.11
4.11 Booksellers/suppliers
At present, booksellers play almost no role in the supply of educational materials to schools.
Booksellers that earn from selling primary school textbooks generally depend on private
sector schools. (Note that the medium of instruction in private schools is English rather than
Kiswahili and the majority of textbooks for private sector primary schools come from Kenya.)
The relationships between publishers and booksellers are therefore weak. Few booksellers
have accounts with all of the major publishers.12
The Booksellers Association (BSAT) has approximately 70 members but has had little
opportunity to provide members with real benefits. It has recently drafted a Code of Practice,
which it intends to ratify early in 2003.
Booksellers are generally offered 20-25% discount by publishers.13
5
Curriculum issues
5.1 Curriculum review
A curriculum review is underway, with a possible introduction of the revised curriculum into
Standard 1 in school year 2004. It is not the intention of this report to consider curriculum
issues except where they have implications for the provision of textbooks and other
educational materials, but there are some important issues that need to be considered during
the curriculum review that will have an impact on any reformed system of textbook provision.
The proposed revised curriculum does not include an increase in the number of subjects to be
studied in primary schools. Therefore there should be no increase in the costs of educational
materials provision. On the contrary, the introduction of a new strategy for educational
materials provision should provide an opportunity for cost reductions (see recommendation
14.5).
5.2 HIV/AIDS
The obvious starting point for a thorough consideration of the role of educational materials in
combating HIV/AIDS should be via the current curriculum review, which should consider
and take decisions on, for example, the age at which pupils should first address HIV/AIDS,
how the HIV/AIDS issues should be presented to children at different levels of the education
system and to what extent the subject of HIV/AIDS should be addressed as a ‘stand alone’
subject or should be integrated into other curriculum subjects as a major cross-cutting theme.
It is the curriculum review that should provide guidelines on the details of the
10
This figure is taken from the publishers whose works are included in the catalogue of non-textbooks produced
by the Tusome Vitabu project. Most of the 30 are very small indeed, and may publish only 1 or 2 titles per year
11 They are: Macmillan Aidan, Mture, E and D, Ben and Co, OUP, Educational Books Publishers (EBP), Tanzania
Publishing House, and Readit
12 Macmillan Aidan, possibly the largest publishing house in Tanzania, says it has approximately 70-80 bookseller
accounts, of which some 10-12 are in Dar-es-Salaam.
13
PATA and BSAT are currently in the process of agreeing a Memorandum of Understanding which will set a
minimum discount level of 20%.
13
teaching/learning content and expected outcomes. (Differences in religious sensibilities may
also have to be addressed.)
6
Educational materials development and approval
6.1 Educational materials development
While publishers have, over the past decade, faced problems in taking advantage of the
opportunities available under PPP and ITP, due to lack of adequate financing14, many local
publishers have clearly benefited greatly and now operate from well-appointed premises with
the support of professional skills and resources. The publishing industry is therefore in good
shape and well able to respond to educational publishing opportunities.
6.2 Educational materials evaluation and approval
With the establishment of the Evaluation and Approval Procedure in August 1998, the process
of evaluation has been managed by the Education Materials Approval Committee (EMAC), of
which the BMU is the secretariat. Evaluations have been held since September 1999. To date
a total of 75 evaluators have been trained in evaluation techniques and have evaluated 130
textbooks with teacher’s guides.
After evaluation, EMAC currently classifies submissions as approved, conditionally
approved, or rejected. Manuscripts that are conditionally approved must be re-submitted.
To date (December 2002) the results of evaluations can be summarised as follows:
Status
Submitted
Approved
Conditionally approved
Rejected
Number
130
107
9
14
The process of textbook evaluation has been performed to the satisfaction of many publishers.
However, there are some noticeable problems, particularly since the transformation from
project to SWAP environment and the resulting difficulty in financing the evaluation. The
delay in evaluating submitted textbooks can be several months.
Several publishers have requested that the evaluation procedures, particularly relating to the
timing of the evaluation and the announcement of results, should be reviewed and that
recommendations need to address the need for faster response times. In addition, there are
other issues that need to be considered, in order to improve the effectiveness of the evaluation
and approval system. (See 14.2.2 and 14.2.4.)
In addition to the evaluation process operated centrally by EMAC, which grants approved
status to submitted textbooks, Districts also evaluate textbooks from the approved book list in
order to select the preferred textbook for each subject/grade. Districts have therefore received
training based on the EMAC evaluation system. It should be noted that District-based
evaluation and selection is regarded with considerable suspicion by some publishers, who
report widespread lack of transparency in textbook selection. (This lack of transparency is of
course an issue that relates both to those responsible for selection, as well as to those in whose
interests it is to influence the selection process in their own favour – namely the publishers
themselves.)
14
These included obtaining bank loans in order to pay for printing and distribution, and obtaining Letters of Credit
for printing overseas
14
EMAC/BMU is currently planning a review of the criteria and procedures for evaluation and
approval of instructional materials. This review was to have taken place in December but has
been postponed.
6.3 Evaluation methodology
The current evaluation methodology is based on a ‘yes/no’ system, in which the evaluator
assesses each criterion for its presence or absence, before awarding a pass or fail (or
conditional pass). The evaluation instrument is therefore blunter and less precise than an
instrument in which each criterion allows the evaluator to award a sliding scale of marks.
All textbooks for all subjects are evaluated using the same evaluation instrument and there are
no variations between the evaluation requirements for, say, Maths and Science on the one
hand as against Languages and Life Skills on the other hand.
The current evaluation instruments include a variant for Supplementary books and a variant
for Reference books. However, they have not yet been applied.
6.4 Non-textbook materials
While reading books have been the focus for two important literacy development projects (see
Annex 5) reading books are not included as specialist variants in the evaluation methodology
of EMAC and therefore have not been evaluated and approved by EMAC.
6.5 Content of educational materials
All textbooks published since 1999 have been evaluated and approved by EMAC as
conforming to the new curriculum. However, there is some uncertainty concerning the status
of textbooks published prior to 1999 (i.e. the textbooks developed from manuscripts written
by TIE), which of course were based on the old curriculum. This uncertainty stems from the
fact that there is no single list of approved textbooks. Instead, the BMU has prepared two lists
– one for the original textbooks and another for the so-called ‘alternative’ titles. (In fact, all
the titles, whether original or published later following the introduction of the multi-textbook
system, are alternatives to each other.)
All pre-1999 textbooks are still on the market alongside more recent titles and are available to
Districts to select from on behalf of their schools
A comparison of the content of the pre-1999 textbooks and the new competitive textbooks
raises an important issue: the newer textbooks are clearly more advanced in content level than
the pre-1999 textbooks. Pre-1999 Standard 1 textbooks had no or almost no text, whereas
several of the new textbooks assume a strong competence in reading skills from the start of
Standard 1. A comparison of the content of all educational materials with the criteria, coupled
with a review by the actual users of the materials, would demonstrate whether such a range of
approaches conforms to the range of requirements of different users. This comparison should
form part of the process of curriculum review (see recommendation 14.1.1). However, it must
be concluded that the current evaluation instrument must be reviewed in order to assess its
ability to ensure that approved EM are of the appropriate level.
7. Technical/durability issues
The durability of textbooks clearly affects the overall cost of a system of textbook provision.
The longer the books last, the more their costs are spread and therefore the less their cost per
year.
The QITWG have stated in their comments that technical specifications are not the overriding factor in textbook durability. The consultant recognises that the general school
15
environment is also an important factor. In particular, the method of storage of all EM is
critical. The issue of storage is therefore addressed under the appropriate heading in this
report: Section 11.3.
The QITWG have also observed that physical durability is less critical than the quality of the
textbook content. There is of course no direct relationship or contradiction between
manufacturing quality and content quality: both are essential. However, it must be stated that
the benefits of textbooks with good content are significantly reduced if the textbooks do not
last for one year of normal classroom use.15
The technical specifications used in the currently approved educational materials vary widely
and are often unsuitable to achieve the target book life for Std 1-7, which MOEC states is 3
years. The allocation of funds to districts in 1999 was based on the premise that textbooks
would have a life-span of 3 years, while teacher’s guides would last for 4 years. Schools
visited by the consultant reported that 2 years is the normal expected textbook life, even after
allowing for pupils to make repairs to the textbook.16
The consultant examined a range of textbooks obtained from publishers and from larger
booksellers in Dar es Salaam. While there is no doubt that MOEC technical specifications
have been designed to ensure durable textbooks, and that publishers have received good
training in meeting those specifications, the fact that many textbooks of poor specifications
can widely be found on the market indicates that significant lapses are occurring.
The two most commonly observed weaknesses17 in technical specifications of current
approved textbooks are:
 underweight cover card
 the use of burst binding18, instead of wire-stitching (for shorter extents) or thread-sewn
binding (for longer extents of, for example, over 96 pages)
Both of these have considerable impact on book life.19
The current evaluation instrument requires the evaluator to assess the expected book life by
examining: binding; strength; ease of use; text paper quality; tear strength; burst strength;
cover paper quality; cover finish. However, most evaluators do not have the technical
expertise to evaluate manufacturing quality and the suitability of raw materials. It is very
strongly recommended, therefore, that minimum technical specifications, which can be
expected to achieve target durability and book life should be made mandatory so that all
approved textbooks have the same minimum standards. This will guarantee minimum book
life expectations and will remove the burden of technical evaluations from non-specialists.
The QITWG comments, in stating that ‘technical specifications … should not … justify disqualification on a
publisher’s hard labour and spending’, appear to refer to the role of the evaluation of physical quality in the context
of a competitive evaluation system that is proposed in Recommendation 14.2. However, it should be noted that this
consultant has only recommended in this report that ‘MOEC should therefore examine ways in which technical
specifications can be improved through the evaluation and approval system’. There is in fact no mention in this
report of disqualification on technical grounds.
16 These repairs normally consist of re-sewing the cover onto the book block.
17 Textbook samples would need to be examined by a specialist in order to provide a full analysis of the technical
standards and the possibilities for improvement.
18 Burst binding consists of applying glue into narrow troughs cut across the spine of the book block. While this
method of binding is somewhat cheaper than thread-sewing, it is not recommended for textbooks that are likely to
suffer rough handling and need to last for several years. Furthermore, thread-sewing usually adds less than 5% to
the final price of the book, while adding considerably more than 5% to the book-life. Burst binding is used on
many textbooks examined by the consultant, including some that had as few as 32 pages. The durability of a burstbinding 32-page textbook is estimated at well under a year with normal primary school usage
19 It should be noted that in the comments sent to the consultant, the QITWG commented that the consultant may
have unknowingly examined pirated textbooks. The consultant doubts this very much, since the sample textbooks
were obtained from publishers and from leading booksellers in Dar es Salaam.
15
16
8. Educational materials costs
An examination of the prices of textbooks shows that prices have increased by 35-50% since
1998.20 Prices now average approximately 2,500 TSh for lower primary textbooks and 3,500
TSh for upper primary. While there have been some design improvements in the textbooks
that have led to increased costs to publishers and therefore to increased prices, the scale of the
recent price increases must be a matter of concern for the GOT and its development partners.
It should be noted that an increase in prices of 50% means a reduction by 33% in the number
of copies that can be bought, so that instead of a school being able to purchase 30 copies of a
textbook it can only purchase 20 with the same budget. This of course has significant
implications for textbook ratios and for the recurrent costs of textbook provision into the
system.
It is also probable that under the present system of District-level procurement there are hidden
costs, which publishers are building into their calculation of published price. These costs may
reach 20% of the retail price. In addition to these hidden costs, many publishers are providing
discounts of a further 20% to Districts. Therefore most publishers receive only 60% of the
retail price of each textbook. Under the proposed new system of school-based procurement
(see Recommendation 14.6), these hidden costs should disappear. The publisher will provide
instead a discount to the bookseller.
9. Educational materials availability
Under PPP, over a period of 6 years of the project, a total of approximately 5.29 million
textbooks were procured for just under 6 million pupils (see 3.4 above). Taking the target lifespan of a textbook as 3 years, this works out at half a textbook per pupil over the period of six
years. Assuming a requirement of 6 textbooks to cover the curriculum (although 12 were
required until the reduction in core subjects in 1998), this would result in a textbook:student
ratio of just under 1:14. (However, this assumes the achievement of zero book losses.)
The target of PEDP was a textbook:student ratio of 1:3 for all textbooks for Std 1-7 by 2002
and a ratio of 1:1 for all grades by 2006. It is important to restate here that adequate textbook
ratios can trigger great differences in learning methods and outcomes. When a classroom is
equipped with sufficient copies of a textbook so that all pupils have access to a copy of the
textbook, the learning process becomes more pupil-centred. Pupils have tools in their hands,
which allow them to regulate their learning speed and approach far more than is possible
through the ‘chalk and talk’ environment. Adequate supplies of textbooks also increase the
efficiency of learning and significantly increase the daily ‘time on task’. In many classrooms
poor textbook:student ratios result in much of the available teacher/student content time being
20
For example, the Maths and English textbooks published under PPP, i.e. developed by TIE, had an average retail
price as follows:
Std 1
Std 2
Std 3
Std 4
Std 5
Std 6
Std 7
Average
Maths
1998
1,500
1,500
1,600
1,600
2,400
2,000
2,000
1,800
Maths
2002
2,400
2,400
2,500
2,500
3,000
3,000
3,000
2,685
Increase
49%
17
English
1998
1,900
2,100
2,100
2,400
n/a
1,600
1,700
1,652
English
2002
1,900
2,100
2,100
2,400
(2,400)
2,400
2,500
2,233
Increase
35%
spent with teachers writing the textbook on the blackboard and the students copying the text
into their notebooks. This process takes time and also increases the costs of stationery
provision. International research suggests that a textbook ratio of 1:3 is probably the ‘tipping
point’ at which such ‘hands on’, pupil-centred learning becomes possible. Ratios above 1:3
mean that textbooks may not be placed in the hands of pupils at all, since teachers may
perceive that too many pupils sharing a textbook is impractical; or, if textbooks are in fact
handed out to pupils during class-time, ratios above 1:3 reduce pupils’ motivation and
therefore their ability to interact and learn.
Furthermore, it is widely recognised that maintaining adequate textbook availability in the
classroom is one of the key factors in encouraging parents to keep their children in school,
thus ensuring higher enrolment and retention rates.
The PEDP National Monitoring Report (September 2002) reports that a ratio of 1:3 has been
already been achieved in Std 1-4 while the ratio is reported as 1:6 in Std 5-7. The visits by the
consultant and Mrs Alice Rugumyamheto to schools in Bagamoyo, Muheza and Lushoto
districts suggest that a ratio of 1:3 may have been achieved for those grades that were given
priority in 2002; that is, Std 1 and 2. However, ratios for other grades are probably much
worse. This may be due to the under-allocation of funds for textbooks, which have not
achieved the PEDP target level of 4,000 TSh per pupil. (According to the PEDP Monitoring
Report, the funds allocated in 2001-02 amounted to 11,687 million TSh, which is equivalent
to just under 2,000 Tsh per pupil. See 12.2 below.)
The possible shortfall may be due also to the larger than expected increase in enrolment in
many schools. For example, Muheza District’s (visited by the consultant) Standard 1
enrolment had increased by 119 percent over 2001. Kizara Primary School in Lushoto District
saw an increase in enrolment in Std 1 of 300% over the figure for 2001.21 These increases are
considerably larger than the reported national increase of 45%.
For all practical purposes, based on the evidence observed in the schools visited, the
textbooks that have been ordered in 2002 now constitute the schools’ only book stock. Since
most primary schools (apart from those that have been served by one of the reading book
projects, such as the Children’s Book Project and Tusome Vitabu, and apart from good stocks
of world atlases in some schools) possess almost no other learning and teaching aids, their
textbook stock represents their entire stock of educational materials. Furthermore, since the
newly arrived textbooks are (a) more attractive, and (b) in significantly better condition, it is
probable that the previous book stock (the books supplied pre-2002) will become rapidly
redundant. Required textbook:student ratios may only be reached therefore by a combination
of increased instructional materials funding, extended book life, and reduced book cost.
10. Distribution
Under ITP, it was intended that Districts would hold tenders for the supply of EM orders. The
first District-based procurements of educational materials were held in December 1999.
Districts have therefore now had over 3 years’ experience in ordering and procuring from
publishers. Publishers have supplied textbooks to Districts, who have delivered the books to
the schools.
21
The enrolment rose from 62 pupils to 329. The school has managed to accommodate such an increase by
introducing shifts and by building an extra classroom. Fumbai, the other school visited in Lushoto District,
however, had seen an increase for Standard 1 from 65 to ‘only’ 95
18
However, it is a clear objective of MOEC and PO-RALG policy that educational materials
distribution should be handled by retailers (booksellers) or wholesalers, and that publishers
should not be the vehicle for EM delivery.
The present system of District-level procurement was intended to be transitional. It was also
intended to provide opportunities for the development of booksellers, who would supply the
Districts. It was expected that many of these suppliers would, in due course, be from the local
community. To date, however, this has not happened.
The 2002 QITWG report recommended that strategies were required ‘for improving the
efficiency and capacity of suppliers (booksellers/distributors) in decentralised provision of
educational materials through encouraging partnerships and through technical support for
building up distribution networks to cover the whole country’.
The report also stated, however, that monitoring visits to Districts had shown that publishers
had had to supply all educational materials orders directly because the publishers could
not/would not authorise booksellers to supply. Recent decentralisation of EM provision has
therefore provided no support for the development of local or national suppliers. This was to
be expected, given the tendering methodology in which publishers were able to respond to the
part of the tender that included their own books only.22 This problem will need to be
addressed in a new system of school-based ordering and will require cooperation between
publishers and booksellers from the outset.
It should be noted that following decades of centrally distributed textbooks, in which
commercial booksellers played no role in distributing books to government schools, the
bookselling infrastructure of Tanzania is extremely weak. The Booksellers Association of
Tanzania has only some 75 members, most of whom are based in the urban centres of Dar es
Salaam, Arusha and Dodoma.23 Furthermore, there is little current tradition of publishers
allowing credit to booksellers – in almost all cases, booksellers pay publishers for their orders
in cash.
11. Use of educational materials
11.1 Libraries
QITWG Technical Annex (2001), which is attached to the PEDP plan, defines three strategy
areas:
 Quality
 Decentralisation
 Libraries
MOEC has therefore given priority to the development of primary school libraries, as one of
the three ‘legs’ of quality improvement.
Libraries are recognised universally as a key element in any campaign to improve literacy and
reading fluency. Tanzania is fortunate in having two flourishing library-based projects, the
Children’s Book Project and the Tusome Vitabu project (see Annex 5). The work of these two
22
In a tender methodology in which bidders can bid to supply only part of the required materials, publishers are
favoured over booksellers, since each publisher can offer a greater discount than any bookseller that is offering to
supply the same materials (since the bookseller must first obtain the material from the publisher). This is in
contrast to a tender methodology in which the bidder must supply all the required textbooks, which favours
booksellers over publishers.
23
This is compared to the membership of the Kenyan Booksellers Association, for example, which has over 1000
members.
19
projects provides a solid foundation that MOEC can build on. Furthermore, the CBP project
has led to the publishing of over 150 new reading book titles. This is a valuable resource.
11.2 Pupils’ use of textbooks
Visits to schools confirmed that many schools are not making good use of the newly delivered
textbooks. In some cases the textbooks were found still in the boxes in which they had been
delivered. In other schools, on the other hand, the textbooks were unpacked and stored in
cupboards but showed little sign of having been used.
Teachers that have grown accustomed over the years to managing without textbooks may find
the increased textbook availability to be more of a threat or a management problem than a
welcome support. Since textbook:pupil ratios have traditionally been so poor, teachers have
become used to using the textbook as a teaching tool only, not as a learning tool to be put in
the hands of pupils.
One school visited, however, had developed a good practice of making maximum use of poor
textbook availability. With a ratio of 1:8, the teacher distributed the available textbooks to
groups of eight pupils, appointing a group leader for each group. In this way, not only did the
teacher ensure that pupils had access – however limited – to the textbooks during the
classroom work, but the pupils also were able to share the textbook between them for
homework and out-of-class reading and even take the textbooks home. This response to the
problem of limited textbook availability is to be welcomed, especially as it encourages pupils’
sense of responsibility for the materials.
11.3 Storage of educational materials
Visits to schools confirmed what is already widely known, that school storage facilities are
generally poor and inadequate. Books are sometimes piled on the floor in the headteacher’s
room. If they are in cupboards, they are crammed in and difficult to get at. While most
schools had a teacher in charge of books, the teacher had not been trained in good storage
management and EM conservation techniques. While some schools had a rudimentary record
of stock, there was no systematic ledger that recorded the delivery of stock or showed any
kind of regular stock-taking. During the visits, in order for a school to find out what EM it
had, it was necessary to count the materials by hand.
Furthermore, most of the schools visited had no record of which teacher had borrowed which
books for his/her classroom.
Damage to books occurs both during storage and handling. Damage during handling by pupils
is to some extent unavoidable (although the books can be better protected with paper or
plastic covers). However, damage during storage is avoidable, at the very least, by means of
good shelving and regular care.
A programme of rapid school storage upgrading is strongly recommended (see
Recommendation 14.7.3). Current storage and stock management arrangements will
inevitably lead to stock loss and damage, to reduced average book life and thus, inevitably, to
higher recurrent costs of educational materials provision. MOEC has already commissioned a
survey of school storage capacity, which the consultant has not yet had access to.
12. Financing educational materials provision
12.1 Management of funds for educational materials
PO-RALG is charged with the responsibility for disbursing funds from Treasury to local
councils. Educational funds, including funds for educational materials, are transferred to bank
account number 5 of each District Council.
20
12.2 Disbursement of funds
The Tanzanian financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June. GoT policy for disbursement of
budgets to local government authorities is on a quarterly basis. However, the actual
disbursements may be affected by delays in central budget allocations or by delays in Districtlevel reporting. (It is a condition of each quarterly disbursement to a particular District that a
report for the previous disbursement has been submitted to PO-RALG.) As a result, for
example, the first disbursement of funds for educational materials in financial year 2002-03
took place in September 2002, ie some 2-3 months late.
In addition to budget funds, educational materials are also supported by donor funding, which
is pooled. Donor funding is also intended to be disbursed quarterly. Again, however, delays
occur, and the disbursement due in July 2002 actually took place in November, ie 4-5 months
late.
According to the PEDP, an allocation of $4 per pupil (from the Capitation Grant) should be
provided for the purchase of textbooks. However, the actual funds disbursed during the first
year of PEDP (2001-02) fell considerably short of the above target. According to the PEDP
National Monitoring Report, the total funds disbursed for textbooks for 2001-02 were as
follows (figures have been rounded for ease of reference).
Educational materials
funding 2001-02
Disbursed (TSh)
Spent (TSh)
Textbooks
Other educational materials
11,687.2 m
1,705.6 m
13,392.8 m
5,049.5 m
1,372.7 m
6,422.2 m
Total
The table shows that 13,392.8 m TSh was allocated, while only 6,422.2 m TSh was actually
spent by Districts on educational materials, on behalf of the schools. The reason for this
discrepancy is not clear. However, the volume of funds actually spent works out at 1,079 TSh
per pupil, which matches the findings of the consultant’s visits to the Districts. These visits to
Districts found that a range of 700-1,200 TSh per pupil had been received in calendar year
2002.
It should be noted that the achievement of educational materials targets depends upon the
reliable disbursement of budgeted funds. In addition, fund release is not guaranteed to take
place at a specific time of year but can be spread over many months and can vary
considerably from district to district. Staggered fund release can lead to multiple small
procurements on a district by district basis. This type of funding can be very difficult for
small and under-funded booksellers and inhibit the development of local retail booksellers,
since there is no clear season during which booksellers can concentrate their marketing
activities. Piecemeal funding also significantly increases the operational costs of supply,
which in turn increases the costs of procurement to schools and MOEC. Efforts should be
made to concentrate fund release for all districts at the same time of year and to avoid the
release of funding in small packets.
However, it is also necessary to note that some booksellers may welcome piecemeal funding,
as long as it is regular and predictable, since this reduces the credit required from publishers
(or, in the case of booksellers that are required to pay cash on delivery, the cash required).
13. Monitoring and auditing of use of funds
21
At present, the monitoring of District Education Offices’ use of educational materials funds is
intended to be carried out by the ECU at PO-RALG, who should review the documentation
supplied by the Districts. However, this task may not yet have been fully absorbed by the
ECU, and may have been affected by a degree of unclear responsibility for the task. It is
however clear that the provision of funding direct to schools must also require financial
accountability and that this in turn means the development of an effective basic system of
primary school monitoring and auditing as well as evaluation. The current system for auditing
and monitoring should be modified to conform to the requirements for procurement of
textbooks by schools.
22
14. Conclusions/Recommendations
14.1 Curriculum
14.1.1 Curriculum review
The curriculum review should include an assessment of the current approved textbooks
(including both the original TIE-developed textbooks and the new alternative textbooks
developed by publishers) and other EM currently in use. The purpose of the assessment would
be firstly to establish what kind of guidance might need to be included in the revised
curriculum documents for the benefit of authors, publishers and the MOEC personnel
responsible for textbook evaluation and approval, in order that the most appropriate textbooks
will be developed.24 The curriculum documents themselves can provide good guidance as to
the expected methodology of the required EM.
The curriculum review should also include an assessment of the effectiveness of the materials
in the delivery of the current curriculum. This assessment would examine the materials and
interview practising teachers and representatives of the teacher colleges, to evaluate the
success of the current textbook evaluation methodology in approving appropriate textbooks.
Finally, the timing of certain activities in the planned new textbook provision system should
be integrated with the timing of the introduction of the revised curriculum. For example,
changes to the evaluation and approval system should be introduced gradually so that any
significant changes in the timing of the evaluation exercises and in the evaluation criteria
themselves would be made in preparation for new textbooks to support the revised
curriculum. It is important to avoid making newly published textbooks redundant by failing to
coordinate revisions to curriculum with revisions of the textbook provision system.
14.1.2 HIV/AIDS
A great deal of work has been undertaken in other African countries on the use of schoolbased learning materials in campaigns to improve children’s awareness of HIV/AIDS
(Zimbabwe and Kenya, for example) and this work should be studied and absorbed into the
curriculum approach that will emerge for Tanzania.
While HIV/AIDS will undoubtedly be included in the revised curriculum and therefore will
have a place in the development of educational materials, support for schools to purchase
additional HIV/AIDS materials could be provided as special funding. This would be
compatible with the planned new role of schools in managing their own funds for educational
materials. Suitable materials will be made available if publishers are informed that such books
will be required and are provided with clear guidelines on level, content and presentation. It is
expected that publishers would develop such materials within the framework of a national
initiative involving special orientation for teachers. (Publishers may also, however, require
specialist technical support in order to develop materials to suit the requirements of MOEC
and to take advantage of successes that may have been achieved in publishing educational
materials in other countries). It is envisaged that a national competition could be organised in
which publishers would submit potential materials for evaluation and approval in the same
way as textbooks and other educational materials are evaluated and approved
A national HIV/AIDS initiative should also include monitoring of the effectiveness of the
initiative as measured in terms of teacher and pupil awareness. Any HIV/AIDS educational
materials initiative is successful only in so far as it achieves behavioural change. The prerequisite for behavioural change is a change in awareness and understanding.
14.1.3 Curriculum orientation
24
This would lead in turn to a further refinement of the textbook evaluation criteria.
23
The process of orienting teachers in the new curriculum (both pre-service and in-service
training) might include a significant instructional materials component. There are several
reasons for putting specific training in educational materials usage at the heart of PRESET
and, in particular, INSET programmes. The practical demands of using educational materials
should complement the theoretical approaches taught during teacher training. This provides
teachers with confidence and helps ensure that textbooks and other educational materials are
properly exploited for their contribution to developing appropriate teaching and learning
methodologies and not only for the factual information they contain.
Furthermore, in a multi-textbook environment teachers can benefit greatly from an
opportunity to compare and contrast a variety of methodologies using the different textbooks
available. This would not only provide practise for teachers and trainee teachers in matching
the requirements of the curriculum and the methodology of particular textbooks. It would also
expose teachers very usefully to important issues relating to the new competitive textbook
environment. For example, the differences between the methodology of one textbook and
another, and the fact that there are many different possible ways of interpreting the
curriculum.
MOEC might also consider involving publishers in this aspect of curriculum orientation
(whether pre-service or in-service). Publishers can often provide their authors to lead or
contribute to training sessions to help bring the textbooks to life.
14.2 Educational materials evaluation and approval
14.2.1 Timing of evaluations
EMAC is naturally aware of the need for objectivity in instructional materials evaluation.
However, evaluations of alternative textbooks that take place at different times, possibly with
different evaluators, can lead to significant discrepancies in interpretation, marking and thus
in awards. When competing textbooks are evaluated at the same time by the same evaluators,
who have been trained in the same way at the same time, there is the probability of a more
objective and consistent result. In order to do this, evaluations need to be synchronized and
held at a time announced well in advance, in order that all publishers have time to prepare
their manuscripts for submission.
There is a further advantage in the system of synchronized evaluation, in that it allows MOEC
to publish regularly a list of approved instructional materials. This list will be an essential tool
at the disposal of schools in selecting their own materials.
14.2.2 Threshold versus competitive evaluation
The current EMAC system is known as a threshold system, in which submitted manuscripts
(or Camera Ready Copy) must achieve minimum standards – or thresholds – in order to be
included on the approved textbook list. Under this system, any number of titles may be
approved for any subject and there is therefore a tendency for the approved list to grow year
by year (since there is no mechanism for one title to be replaced by another). If left
unchecked, this can lead to an embarrassment of choice, which increases selection problems
for teachers, particularly where sample copies of textbooks and teachers’ guides are not
widely available for teacher inspection. Too much choice also reduces print runs and can
therefore lead to significant increases in the unit costs of procurement.25
25
There is a suggestion in the QITWG comments to the consultant, that limiting the number of textbooks that can
be approved contradicts the policy of supporting resource-based learning: “In the resource based teaching/learning
system the issue of the availability of many and varied relevant and suitable educational books is crucial. A
restrictive system is an antithesis to the resource based teaching/learning system.” It should be noted that to a large
extent textbooks for classroom teaching/learning in themselves contradict a policy of resource-based learning.
Advocates of resource-based learning talk of ‘going beyond the textbook’. Fully developed resource-based
learning not only requires a well stocked resource centre (or school library) but also demands a highly trained and
24
This threshold system has the advantage that it allows as many publishers to compete and to
be approved as wish to participate. The issue of textbook price is left to market forces and
schools are expected to choose the best value textbook. This, however, may be a problem for
inexperienced teachers who have little past experience as EM purchasers in the trade-off
between price and quality/suitability.26 Thus, while this system has significant advantages for
publishers it also has disadvantages for MOEC and for schools.
For MOEC, there is advantage to be gained in an alternative evaluation system, which is
generally known as a competitive system. In this system, publishers compete for a limited
number of approved places for each subject/grade. The manuscript submissions are awarded
marks that are a combination of marks for content/presentation and price. (The higher the
publisher’s price, the fewer the marks that are awarded for the price factor.) This not only
places a limit on the number of approved textbook titles per subject/grade; it also allows the
price of the manuscript submission to play a part in the evaluation, which puts downward
pressure on the prices that publishers submit at. It is the limited number of places on the
approved list that provides the opportunity to exert this downward pressure.
The QITWG comments to the consultant suggest that limiting the number of approved
textbook places may not reduce prices and may in fact have the opposite effect. QITWG
argue that limiting places makes competition intense and therefore increases the temptation
for publishers to ‘fix and inflate’ prices. Experience however has shown that in any country
where this system has been introduced, limiting the number of places does in fact reduce
prices considerably. And once publishers’ submissions have been approved at a certain price,
this price can be maintained by a system of maximum annual price increases.
There is a further advantage to both MOEC and schools in a competitive evaluation with a
limited number of approved places. When fewer textbooks are approved, the print runs for the
approved textbooks are increased (because the market for each title is shared between fewer
publishers) and unit costs can be very significantly reduced. In addition, schools are faced
with an easier choice when they come to select their textbooks, simply because there are
fewer titles from which to choose.
The consultant recognizes that currently in Tanzania the number of competing textbooks for
each subject/grade is small. The decision to implement a competitive evaluation system may
therefore be less urgent. However, MOEC should consider the medium to long-term effects of
allowing the number of textbook titles to continue to grow.
If a competitive evaluation system is to be considered, then the maximum number of titles to
be approved will need to be decided. In Uganda, where this system has been introduced
successfully and has brought down the prices of textbooks considerably, three textbooks were
approved for each subject and grade level. In Kenya, where a very similar system has just
been introduced, the number of approved primary school textbooks per subject and grade is
limited to six. Some publishers in Uganda have indeed complained that the system excludes
many publishers from participation. However, the fierce competition for approval in Uganda
has had a marked downward impact on prices, has significantly improved production
standards, and thus book life, and has been generally welcomed by MOEC and by teachers
who find selection much easier with fewer titles to choose from. Those publishers who have
succeeded in the competition have also of course achieved much larger sales than they might
otherwise have.
flexible teaching methodology. Both of these conditions of course depend on considerable financial resources,
which, it cannot be argued, are not available in Tanzania.
26
The key issue is: will enough schools take account of textbook prices in their selection of textbooks, in order that
consumer choice plays its effective role on maintaining downward pressure on prices?
25
The schedule for a competitive evaluation system can vary. One option is to evaluate a series
of textbooks at one time. The series might consist, for example, of textbooks for Std 1-4. The
whole series would need to be approved by the evaluation. The textbooks in the series would
then be included in the approved book list at the same time. This has the advantage that
schools can follow a particular series that they have used from Std 1 through to Std 4, thus
achieving the benefits of continuity. It is also relatively cost-effective, since several titles are
approved in one evaluation exercise. The alternative would be to evaluate each title in the
series separately, year by year. It is also possible to require submissions on a staggered basis,
e.g. textbooks for Std 1 and 4 in Year 1, for Std 2 and 5 in Year 2, for Std 3 and 6 in Year 3
and for Std 7 in Year 4.
Variants of the competitive evaluation process can also be used for supplementary reading
materials, atlases, dictionaries etc.
In its comments to the consultant, QITWG have expressed their concern that a competitive
evaluation system inherently favours non-Tanzanian publishers. This is not the case, as has
been demonstrated in many other countries, including neighbouring Uganda and Kenya.
Eligibility to take part in a competitive evaluation can be restricted to publishers with genuine
local registration. The definition of ‘genuine’ will need to be agreed by MOEC, with input
from PATA.
Even more importantly, the QITWG comments suggest that the proposed system of
competitive evaluation invites corruption, due to the intense level of competition expected
from publishers competing for the limited number of places available on the approved list. It
should be noted that the mechanism for ensuring fair play in any evaluation system consists of
the design of the instruments and the system of monitoring and counter-checking all decisions
that are taken before they are made public. Technical assistance can play an important role in
designing such instruments.
Summary of advantages of system of competitive evaluation
The following are the key benefits of a system of competitive evaluation. Other reforms may
also be introduced into the evaluation system at the same time as introducing competitive
evaluation, such as synchronising the evaluation (see 14.2.1) and technical thresholds (see
14.4). It can be seen that a system of competitive evaluation has a major impact on the overall
cost of textbook provision.

Limiting the number of approved places enables MOEC to build a price factor into
evaluation: marks are awarded to each submitted textbook for both content and price
(higher price = fewer marks). The textbooks with the most marks therefore win MOEC
approval. Unless the number of approved places is limited by MOEC, there is little that
MOEC can do to keep textbook prices down – publishers’ prices will be left to market
forces, which do not always work to provide best prices for schools.

Limiting the number of approved textbooks per subject/grade means that publisher’s print
runs are bigger, since the market for each subject/grade is divided between fewer
competing approved textbooks. Bigger print runs mean lower unit costs which enable
publishers to maintain lower published prices (especially when price is an important
factor in evaluation)

Limiting the number of approved textbooks also has advantages for schools that are
unused to the principles of selecting textbooks: fewer choices means an easier task for
schools.
26
14.2.3 Period of approval
The period of approval for textbooks should also be addressed. This may be linked to both the
cycle of curriculum reform and to the average expected life of the textbook. If the textbook is
expected to last for 3 years, then a possible period of approval for an approved textbook could
be 6 years. At the end of the 6 years, there could be a new evaluation process, allowing new
manuscripts to be submitted in competition with already approved textbooks. (This also
provides publishers of approved textbooks with opportunities to update their editions for resubmission.)
The QITWG, in its comments to the consultant, have argued that period of approval should
relate only to the life-span of the syllabus, ie that approved textbooks should remain approved
for the entire life of the syllabus. This would certainly be possible, but would mean that, for
example, if the curriculum remained unchanged for 10 years, no publishers would be able to
challenge those publishers that had had their submissions successfully approved at the
original introduction of the new or revised curriculum.27
It should be noted that a fixed period of textbook approval is not dependant on the
introduction of a competitive system of textbook evaluation. The important issue is that there
should be a date that all publishers are aware of, well in advance, when they can expect reevaluations to take place.
14.2.4 Evaluation methodology
There are advantages in allocating scores of differing values to each criterion, instead of using
a ‘yes/no’ system which is the system currently in use.28 By using different scores for
different criteria, it is possible to give certain criteria different “weights”, reflecting the
priorities of MOEC. It is also possible to score each criterion using a range of marks (eg a
range of 0-5 marks for a criterion).
Furthermore, by allocating scores to each criterion, a total can be scored which can be added
to the marks awarded for price (i.e. the ‘merit score’ system).29 This achieves a proper balance
between content, presentation and price, reflecting the publisher’s own calculations regarding
the balance between the need to create an attractive and relevant textbook/teachers’ guide and
the need to keep the price competitive. Of course, this consideration is valid only if MOEC
favours the option of a competitive evaluation, in which price plays a significant part. It needs
to be stressed, however, that the use of price as a factor in evaluation is the only way that
MOEC can maintain sensible downward pressure on prices. This is an important factor,
bearing in mind the textbook price inflation in Tanzania over the past few years (see above).
EMAC also might give consideration to the different needs of different subjects - for
example, the need to include experimentation in science textbooks, or the importance of
including communicative methods in language teaching materials. The proposed revision to
the evaluation methodology should also address the requirements of non-textbook EM.
14.2.5 Financing the evaluation
27
It should perhaps be noted that many other education systems in Africa, the Former Soviet Union and North
America maintain fixed periods of textbook approval (ie a fixed number of years) that are not related to curriculum
change. A fixed period is a natural part of the process of approval of a textbook. Countries that operate no approval
process for textbooks, by definition, have no such period of approval.
28 In this context, a ‘Yes/No’ system means that a textbook is evaluated for the presence or absence of each
criterion. It is recognised that the overall evaluation result is not a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ but allows for conditional
approval requiring modifications to the conditionally approved textbook
29
Typically, the marks for price would represent 20-30% of the total marks available. The other 70-89% of the
marks would be allocated to content/presentation.
27
One of the reasons for the delays reported in evaluating textbook submissions (especially in
2002, with the change from project to SWAP status) is the cost of arranging the evaluation
exercise. However, the costs can largely be met from the evaluation fees with the additional
provision of some central funding, if necessary, to cover the full costs of the evaluation
exercise. Under the present system, the evaluation panels need to be convened frequently to
accommodate the timetables of the publishers. If they meet regularly, there is a considerable
cost; if they don’t, there is a considerable delay in the system (which publishers are
complaining about). Under a revised system publishers will have to submit according to an
annual deadline established by MOEC. This is normally perfectly acceptable to publishers,
provided that sufficient and realistic lead times are allowed for publishers to develop quality
submissions in line with MOEC requirements. The use of a single annual deadline and a
single annual evaluation significantly reduces the need for frequent evaluation panel meetings
and thus the cost of running the evaluation system. The cost of the exercise would be met by a
mix of publishers’ submission fees and some central funding. GoT therefore needs to include
such costs in its regular budget.
The QITWG, in its comments to the consultant, argue that the current system of evaluating
four times a year and providing feedback to the submitting publishers is inherently more
flexible and more valuable to the publishers. However, it should be noted that the current
system has not been able to provide for evaluations four times a year, due to the costs of
mounting the evaluations. It would be possible to operate a system of annual evaluations, in
which a degree of feedback was built in to the system. This would preserve the ‘conditional
approval’ system that MOEC has developed and used successfully. This system of
‘conditional approval’ would be extended to include not only textbooks but also all other
proposed EM.
14.3 Non-textbook materials
Non-textbook materials, if properly used, play an important role in primary school learning. A
variety of books in a pupil’s learning environment provides a variety of stimuli and allows for
a variety of learning approaches.
Probably the most important type of non-textbook material for the primary school pupil is the
reading book, which may be either fiction or non-fiction (e.g. word and number books, picture
books and simple story books at lower grades with an increasing proportion of non-fiction and
curriculum support materials with increasing grade levels).
Well designed and well written reading books, used regularly (as often as daily) in the
classroom, are an important way of stimulating pupils’ interest in learning in general, and in
developing a range of skills. There is ample international research evidence of the impact of
supplementary reading materials on reading scores, vocabulary acquisition, comprehension
and writing skills and thus of the impact on overall student performance.
There is a further benefit to MOEC in supporting the development and availability of reading
books. The provision of reading materials for pupils provides opportunities for new authors
and publishers to enter the school book market. For many smaller publishers, the cost of
developing a textbook series may be too great an expense. Also, many potential authors are
not necessarily oriented to textbook writing, but have important creative skills in fiction or in
the presentation of non-fiction topics in ways, which are interesting and stimulating for
children. MOEC (which is responsible for Culture as well as Education) may see a value in
encouraging such authors, who should play a valuable part in national cultural life. Support
for the development and provision of reading materials therefore provides a stimulus to local
authors and publishers, who may not have the expertise or financial capacity to invest in
textbooks. (See Recommendation 14.7.1 for detailed recommendations on support for a
MOEC reading programme.)
28
Other non-textbook materials should also be considered, such as work cards, flash cards,
atlases, dictionaries, wall charts, wall maps, slates, etc. (Although further study may be
necessary on the actual use of slates, which, according to the school visits conducted by the
consultant and Mrs Rugumyamheto, are currently being under-used.)
Non-textbook materials have not been the subject of significant District-level educational
materials orders for the past 2-3 years, as MOEC has placed an emphasis on schools ordering
textbooks for Standards 1 and 2 in order to support the new UPE policy which has targeted
lower grades.
While a fully decentralised procurement system need not attempt to plan the exact
instructional materials requirements of schools, since schools themselves increasingly will be
able to determine their own requirements, the categories of material may need to be
considered in preparing budgets and evaluation and approval criteria, and also in preparing
guidelines for teachers. The planned introduction of additional categories of EM, however,
may depend on the proposed timing and scope of the new curriculum. For planning and
budgeting purposes, the concept of the minimum profile of educational materials provision
needed to deliver the curriculum is potentially important.
14.4 Technical specifications/durability
The consultant has examined most of the textbooks currently available. There is no doubt that
the current production standards are falling far short of what is required to provide a book life
of more than 2 years (of genuine pupil use). Schools that were visited by the consultant
confirmed that 2 years is the normal expected maximum book life (if pupils carry out basic
repairs such as sewing covers back on). This can be improved considerably by stricter and
more specific production requirements as a mandatory condition of the award of “approved
textbook” status. For example, the current poor quality ‘burst binding’ which is used by many
textbooks, causing them to fall apart even within a year, should be rejected. Improved cover
card specifications and upgraded binding styles could double the life of the average textbook,
with a probable increase in cost of no more than 20-25%. (Therefore 100% extra life could be
achieved for a 20-25% extra cost.)
The requirement for minimum physical production specifications to ensure a minimum level
of durability and expected book life (specifications relating to presentational issues – e.g.
number of colours, formats, type and number of illustrations etc – need not be part of the
minimum specifications and can be safely left to the creativity of individual publishers) would
remove from inexperienced evaluators all issues relating to the evaluation of durability
because all materials submitted for evaluation would be required to meet identical minimum
standards.
MOEC should therefore examine ways in which technical specifications can be improved
through the evaluation and approval system.
Improved textbook life – and thus reduced recurrent costs of provision – would also result
from improved storage in schools (see Recommendation 14.7.3) and greater awareness of the
basic techniques of book conservation and repair.
Furthermore, it is expected that schools that have selected their own textbooks will generally
take more care of them.
14.5 Educational materials costs
Among the possible strategies for keeping prices as low as possible consistent with high
quality content and production standards is the mechanism outlined in Recommendation 14.2
above, on the introduction of a competitive evaluation system with price as a factor in the
evaluation marking. (The experience of the MOES in Uganda is that prices fell by over 55%
29
as a result of adopting such a system.) Such a system needs to be supported by a mechanism
that allows MOEC and publishers to negotiate an acceptable percentage of price increase each
year, in order that prices are kept low and the benefits of the initial evaluation are preserved.
Workable systems of price control are available and examples can be provided on request.
From the publishers’ perspective the key factor in keeping prices low is (a) printing large
quantities at one time, (b) knowing the exact size of the expected print-run at the time of
setting the price and (c) a competitive evaluation system with price as a significant factor in
evaluation scoring. The principle of limiting the number of places available for approval for
each subject textbook has an effect on the size of the print-run – the fewer the number of
approved titles, the bigger the expected sales of each title. In the long term, if MOEC is able
to regularise the timing of the disbursement and indicate in advance what textbook funds will
be disbursed (ie the size of the capitation grant), publishers will be able to plan their expected
print-runs and sales and marketing activities, thus once again reducing operational costs.
MOEC should consider publishing an annual approved book price list for schools, which will
not only provide schools with useful information about the books available (that have been
approved), but also will show the maximum retail price they should pay. This book list will
include both the original textbooks developed by TIE and the new ‘alternative textbooks’
developed by publishers. (The term ‘alternative’, which is widely used for those textbooks
that have been developed by publishers rather than by TIE, should be dropped. All titles are
alternatives for a school to select from.)
14.6 Distribution
14.6.1 The pros and cons of school-based procurement
The current system of District-based procurement has enabled publishers to gain some
experience and expertise in marketing, which was not possible previously under the centrally
ordered system. It has also provided limited opportunities for booksellers or wholesalers to
supply books to Districts. However, the current system of District-based procurement needs to
be assessed against the expected outcomes. Those expectations related mainly to progress
towards full decentralisation as a condition of sustainability.
Such an assessment leads to the conclusion that the system is not in fact providing
opportunities for bookseller participation. Furthermore, the process of District-level textbook
selection may be no more appropriate to the school’s (the users’) needs than any system of
centrally planned selection. Since most schools under the present system are simply required
to indicate the number of textbooks they possess per subject and grade, with no indication of
the titles, the District is not able to provide the school with appropriate selections.
Furthermore, the current system of District-based procurement has little element of
transparency and is therefore open to charges of ‘interference’. This lack of transparency
clearly has cost implications for the whole system of textbook provision and is one of the
major arguments for urgent decentralising of procurement to school level.
A key consideration in designing a new system of decentralisation is to enable schools to have
control over their own textbook needs, i.e. to make their own orders. Textbook selection is at
the heart of school-based procurement. The method of school payment for their textbooks is
also vital.
There are several advantages in allowing schools to select and procure their own educational
materials and their own supplier:
 Experience in neighbouring African countries (especially Kenya) has demonstrated that
genuine decentralised procurement is not only more efficient but more cost-effective than
30








centralised procurement.30 Genuine decentralisation means that the end-user (the school)
is active in the procurement system, not a passive partner of MOEC. The school therefore
is instrumental in defining its needs and in maintaining pressure on the delivery process to
avoid delays. As end-users, schools have a greater incentive than Districts to seek ways of
procuring textbooks in the most cost-effective ways.
Schools usually receive better supply services when they select their own supplier and
order directly. Thus, in both Kenya and Uganda decentralised procurement results in
books usually being delivered direct to schools by the supplier rather than being collected.
Errors and damages are corrected more quickly because the individual school simply
refuses to pay until the order is correctly supplied. Centralised or district based
procurement and supply has no incentives for fast correction of errors and damages and in
these systems they often remain uncorrected to the detriment of individual schools
Under the present system, Districts receive incomplete data from schools (i.e. by subject
only, not by title) so Districts are unable to match their orders accurately to the stock
already held by the individual school. School based procurement is inherently more
accurate than District based or centralised procurement because only the school knows its
own needs accurately
Data on book stock supplied to the District by the school may not always be accurate
School-based ordering can be made more transparent by the involvement of a school
selection committee, rather than via the headteacher alone, and is therefore less open to
unwarranted “interference”
Schools will have more ‘ownership’ of books that they have selected, and will therefore
be more likely to use them and take more care of them
School-based ordering supports the decentralisation of other capitation funds (such as
school building and maintenance, educational materials etc)
School-based ordering can encourage the development of genuinely local booksellers,
which, again, is widely recognised to have social, educational and cultural benefits in
addition to the desirability of developing local commercial enterprises
School based ordering and procurement is more cost effective because there is inherently
less waste
However, there are of course some challenges in a transition to school-based selection, which
have to be addressed:
 Schools must have access to competing textbooks in order to make informed choices
about their textbook needs
 Many districts have no proper bookshop at present. There are only stationery shops with
no experience of marketing, no experience of working with publishers, and with little
overall financial capacity
 The network of booksellers should be able to service all schools in the country, however
remote
 Schools need to be able to select their books effectively. They need to understand the
function of a textbook (especially when provided in large enough quantities actually to be
placed in the hands of pupils). They also need to be able to evaluate the strengths and
weaknesses of competing textbooks.
 If booksellers supply schools, they will require either (a) large amounts of cash in order to
purchase from publishers31, or (b) good credit agreements with publishers32
The evidence contradicts the apparent savings that some observers might expect from the ‘economy of scale’ of
a centralised system.
31 The large amounts of cash will be required because a bookseller may carry orders for dozens of schools at one
and the same time. The alternative, in which the bookseller waits for payment for the first supply before embarking
on the second, would cause considerable delays.
32 However, almost all publisher-bookseller transactions are currently carried out on a purely cash basis
30
31

In the interests of equity, schools should pay the same price – or a very similar price – for
the textbook, however remote the school is from the District centre or from the nearest
bookseller
14.6.2 Possible system(s) for school-based selection and procurement
While school-based textbook selection is an essential component of school-based
procurement, in which booksellers compete to supply the schools’ orders and different titles
compete to be purchased by the school, there is a variety of ways of providing for schoolbased ordering and payment. Three possible options have been discussed with MOEC officers
and with the book industry:
Option 1: Cash system
 School bank account is credited with per capita funds for EM purchase
 School selects EM from approved book list and after examining sample materials
 School orders from bookseller
 Bookseller supplies school
 School pays bookseller by cheque
Option 2: LPO system
 School receives fund allocation from District (as LPO, not as cash)
 School selects textbooks from book list and sample materials
 School orders from bookseller (and sends copy of order to District)
 Bookseller supplies school
 Bookseller redeems delivery note or LPO at District Level
Note: For the LPO system, the District would allocate the LPO to the school
Option 3: Consolidated order system
 School receives notification of fund allocation from District (with order form)
 School selects textbooks from book list and sample materials
 School sends order form to District
 District consolidates and orders from bookseller
 Bookseller supplies District or school
 District pays bookseller
 District delivers to school (unless bookseller supplies school)
The following table highlights and advantages and risks in the three options outlined above:
Advantages
Option 1
Cash model
Option 2
LPO model
Option 3
District
consolidation
model
Disadvantages
Matches present methodology for school
spending of other funds (eg buildings)
Bookseller does not need to visit school
to get paid (which may take more than
one visit)
Most booksellers and publishers favour
this model, as the LPO provides a
guarantee for payment, thereby enabling
bookseller to order on credit more easily
from publisher
Less risk of no response by booksellers,
since booksellers promote their services
to 121 districts rather than 12,000
schools
32
Risk of school misuse of cash
School and Districts must manage the
documentation correctly (this has proved
to be a challenge to many schools and
Districts in similar pilot systems
operating in Uganda)
(The LPO system was rejected in Kenya
in favour of the cash/cheque system)
Very different from present
methodology for school spending of
other funds (eg buildings)
MOEC has clearly indicated that it favours the first of the above options (i.e. providing cash
to schools) on the grounds that schools are already able to handle cash purchases of other
requirements, such as school buildings.
14.6.3 Pros and cons of immediate implementation of school-based procurement
Immediate implementation, which is favoured by MOEC, would require the deployment of
considerable resources at MOEC, PO-RALG, LGA and school level, as well as considerable
technical support. While a gradual, phased implementation would provide opportunities for
closer support and for any necessary adjustments prior to expansion, MOEC have indicated
clearly that the methodology of phasing in Districts in batches would be unacceptable from
the point of view of selecting certain districts for initial inclusion over others. In addition, for
the purposes of financial administration, MOEC is not in favour of running more than one
system at any one time.
In order for all 12,100 government primary schools to be ready to receive EM funds before
the end of 2003 (or by the start of the new financial year on 1 July 2003, as has also been
suggested) significant preparation and training will be required throughout the country. In
addition, booksellers and publishers will need to mobilise rapidly. Prior to such training,
detailed system design will be required with necessary stages for explanation and approval by
MOEC. In addition detailed training materials and plans will need to be prepared covering the
training requirement, who will provide it, and when it will take place.
14.6.4 Description of proposed new system
After widespread consultation with representatives of all stakeholders, the following is
proposed. EM funds would be disbursed to schools’ capitation bank accounts. Schools would
select their textbooks from a nationally approved list (including published prices) and would
order their EM from an approved bookseller33 using a pro-forma order form. Copies of the
order form would be sent to District and Regional level, as well as to the bookseller, in
addition to the copy retained by the school.34 Schools would pay for their order by cheque,
drawn on their existing capitation bank account.35 The first disbursement under the new
system could be made by the second quarter of financial year 2003-04 (ie 1 October 2003), or
the following quarter.36 The system would be implemented at national level and would be
monitored, evaluated and audited by PO-RALG.
14.6.5 Preparation activities
In order to minimise the risk of implementing school-based procurement in an environment
based on such a weak bookseller infrastructure, it will be necessary to ensure that all
stakeholders – MOEC, PO-RALG, schools, publishers and booksellers – are prepared for any
eventuality and challenge that may arise. The three essential factors required to ensure
maximum preparedness are training, information and professional agreements37. For training
requirements, see 14.6.7 below.
The bookseller could be ‘approved’ by being a member of BSAT or by conforming to a set of pre-qualifications
designed by MOEC.
34 It is not recommended that a fifth copy be submitted to the centre (PO-RALG) – with 12,000 schools, several
disbursements per year and therefore several orders per year, it would not be practical for the centre to monitor all
documentation.
35 The school will pay no money to the bookseller until the complete order has been delivered.
36 Consideration will need to be given to what arrangements for EM purchase will be made in the meantime – will
Districts continue to procure in the usual way?
37
Professional agreements include codes of conduct developed by PATA and BSAT, and a Memorandum of
Understanding between the two associations.
33
33
Ensuring a good and timely flow of information will be essential. Some of this information
will be transmitted through the MOEC system down to schools etc. Other information will
need to be transmitted via the media. This will be necessary to:
 Expand the network of booksellers by ensuring that all potential booksellers are aware of
the new opportunities
 Ensure that all schools are aware of the launch of the new system
Professional agreements will also be essential, both among the publishers and among the
booksellers, as well as between the two.
Further discussion is of course necessary as to the timing of the first disbursement to schools
under the new system. In addition, the timing of the preparation and publication of the unified
list of approved EM will need to be agreed and announced as far ahead as possible, in order
that publishers may submit further EM for evaluation and approval in good time.38 The
approved list must be prepared in good time to be available to schools to assist them in
selecting their EM following the first disbursement under the planned new system. (The list
will include published prices, which will ensure that all schools pay the correct price.)
It should be noted that the QITWG, in its comments to the consultant, have called for this
approved list of textbooks to be published twice a year. This is certainly possible, and
depends on the system and schedule of textbook evaluation adopted by MOEC. However, the
frequency of publication of the approved list should be considered in relation also to the
proposed periods of approval for textbooks (see Recommendation 14.2.3). In order to be clear
and practical, there should not be too many periods of approval running at the same time.
Publishers and schools all need to know when an approved textbook will reach the end of its
approval period. (Publishers need to know in order to plan their publishing schedules. Schools
need to know in order to select textbooks each year that they will be able to use for the
maximum number of years.)
It is recommended that the approved list should be prepared and published on an annual basis.
Publishing an approved book list twice a year is more expensive than a single annual list. It
also introduces a possible risk of confusion in the market, since it is quite possible that all
stakeholders may not always operate from the correct list.
14.6.6 Management of the system
It is proposed that PO-RALG will be responsible for the management, monitoring and
auditing of the system, in cooperation with MOEC and Local Government Authorities (see
14.6.8 below). This is in line with PO-RALG’s existing responsibility for managing schoolbased procurement of building supplies etc under the terms of capitation and development
grants to schools.
It should be noted that according to local government regulations, schools will have to obtain
approval from the Council Director (eg District Executive Director) for all EM purchases
above TSh 200,000 (as they currently do for other purchases).
14.6.7 Training of schools
Schools will require training in:
 Forming a school textbook selection committee: a committee should be formed in each
school, which will jointly select and order EM (joint ordering of EM overcome the risk of
incentives being paid by booksellers to any individual in the school), as well as record all
activities relating to EM purchase (such as receipt of funds into account, minutes of
selection meetings, etc).
38
It is acknowledged that, given the urgency of preparations for decentralised procurement, there will not be time
to implement prior reforms to the evaluation and approval system such as have been proposed (see 14.2 above).
34




EM selection: schools will require training in the function of a textbook (as a textbook
rather than as a teacher’s reference book, ie as a learning tool in the hands of pupils rather
than as a teaching tool in the hands of the teacher) and in how to evaluate the strengths
and weaknesses of competing textbooks
Selection of a approved bookseller, and the need to actively seek out a potential
bookseller in the event that none has approached the school
EM storage and management: this will include recommendations regarding possible
short-term measures that can be carried out by schools using their existing development
grant budgets. However, it is also proposed that a survey of school storage conditions
should be carried out, in order to provide such guidelines. (See 14.7.3.) The training will
also include guidelines of effective issuing, sharing and classroom use of EM.
Reinforcing good financial management
Schools will be trained by District inspectors. Ward Education Officers will be trained at the
same time, in order to be able to monitor and support good school practices. Inspectors need
to be trained, either centrally or by regional education officers who would then need central
trainer training. All training would be supported by training manuals and all schools would be
provided with textbook management manuals, approved book list and order forms.
The above District-level training exercises could also be used an opportunity to invite
booksellers to attend and promote their services as well as display the approved instructional
materials. This would help schools to examine different materials and build up initial
bookseller contacts.
14.6.8 Training of Districts (Local Government Authorities)
An officer at LGA level will need to be identified and trained for the purposes of monitoring
the documentation provided by schools. The work of the monitoring officers will be
supervised and monitored by PO-RALG.
14.6.9 Training of booksellers
Booksellers will require considerable support in order to be able to expand their number and
develop minimum skills in basic financial management, stock-keeping, marketing and
supplying, as well as in the mechanisms of the new system. Booksellers will also be provided
with copies of the school textbook management manual.
It is recommended that one- or two-day provincial workshops should be organised to
publicise the new system to potential booksellers and to provide a minimum level of training
in the above areas. The workshops would be preceded by a publicity campaign to attract
participants, as well as by requests to District education officers to help identify potential
participants.
The booksellers association (BSAT) will also require support in order to be able to grow into
a well run professional association, able to promote and regulate effectively the activities of
all its members. It is recommended that membership of BSAT should be a requirement of
bookseller participation in the new system. BSAT will need to re-examine their conditions of
membership, as well as modify and ratify their draft Code of Practice and agree a
Memorandum of Understanding with PATA (the publishers association). The Code of
Practice should be revised and ratified prior to the membership expansion campaign.
Potential and existing booksellers will be encouraged to find ways of forming partnerships
with each other and with other commercial organisations. They will also need to explore the
possibilities for bank loans.
35
It is not recommended as a condition for participation that a bookseller should necessarily
have local premises in the community in which the bookseller is operating. It is perceived that
this may operate against the need to ensure that as many schools as possible are able to make
contact with a potential bookseller. However, it is recommended that schools should be
advised that in their approaches to booksellers, or in selecting a bookseller, they should give
preference to booksellers with local premises that include a showroom with a good stock of
sample EM. In the training of schools it should be emphasised that booksellers with local
premises are generally able to provide a better service to the school and to the community.
Schools could also be trained to place orders only through booksellers that are members of
BSAT.39
PATA and BSAT are already in discussion regarding minimum discount levels to be provided
to booksellers. The two associations will also need to discuss increased discounts for remote
schools.
14.6.10 Technical assistance required to implement school-based procurement
Technical assistance will be required to:
 Help design final operational guidelines for new system, according to schedule agreed
with MOEC and PO-RALG
 Help design training and management manuals, and pro-forma order forms
 Run bookseller workshops: the workshops should be two days each. It is recommended
that up to four international consultants divide the task, so that the training reaches as
many potential booksellers as possible in the shortest time possible.
 Initiate trainer training as start of cascade training for Districts and schools
14.6.11 Schedule of work required to implement school-based procurement
See Annex 1 for a full schedule of activities required.
14.7 Use of educational materials
14.7.1 Libraries/reading promotion
One of the achievements of the CBP and Tusome Vitabu projects has been to demonstrate
that primary schools are able to build and furnish their own libraries if they believe that books
will be provided. However, due to the limited resources of the two projects, the number of
schools reached so far is limited (although the CBP has now covered approximately 2,000
primary schools). MOEC could consider supporting this approach at a national level, by
dedicating funds for schools to use to purchase reading books. The funds would be released to
schools when the school has built and equipped a library to an agreed standard. (Further study
will be required to establish whether it is possible that all schools would respond positively to
this ‘contract’, which appears to have been successfully used in the Tusome Vitabu project.)
Training for schools in building and running a library and training for districts in monitoring
would be necessary to support the campaign.
In its comments to the consultant, the QITWG appear to suggest that the proposed programme
of school library development will have an impact on improved book:pupil ratio. Of course,
the more non-textbook materials that are provided in the library the better, since improved
pupil literacy through exposure to resource-based learning will require increased variety and
range of reading materials to maintain literacy.40 However, it should be noted that while a
school may choose to buy a small number of copies of all available textbooks for a particular
subject/grade, and that these copies should be available to pupils in the school library, it is
39
A decision will need to be taken as to whether membership of BSAT should be a condition for school suppliers.
In fact, resource-based learning can take place even with poor book:pupil ratios. The impact of poor book:pupil
ratios on textbooks is a different matter, since poor ratios prevent any use of textbooks as textbooks for whole class
learning. For many educationalists there is in fact an inherent contradiction between teaching and learning via
textbooks and resource-based learning, one being to some extent ‘prescriptive’, the other being ‘constructive’.
40
36
recommended that schools should aim to purchase large quantities of their preferred textbook
title for a particular subject/grade in order to make copies available in class at the optimum
book:pupil ratio.
In order to ensure that reading takes its place within the framework of the curriculum, and that
teachers are able to help pupils get the maximum benefit from regular reading, a reading
component could be built in to the revised curriculum. Such an initiative would require that
the facilities to support reading were in place in all schools and that teachers were trained to
support reading (including weak and advanced readers, and including silent reading in class).
A monitoring system to measure the achievement of expected outputs could also be valuable.
This monitoring would include assessment of teachers’ methodologies, approaches to
resource-based learning, and monitoring of pupils’ improved literacy. The monitoring would
also usefully include recording the availability of stock, the library facilities and the system of
pupil access to the library.
If such a campaign were to be considered, it would of course study the work that has already
been carried out by the two projects mentioned, and possible widen the scope of the study by
a visit(s) to other countries to examine other successful approaches to improving literacy.41
14.7.2 Pupils’ and teachers’ use of textbooks
Textbooks and other educational materials can only be sure of use by the pupils themselves if
the teacher hands out the books to the pupils or if there is a library. While it is relatively
straightforward to manage a library effectively, as long as the resources are available, the task
of allowing pupils to use their textbooks effectively requires sustained teacher education.
Many teachers may not be taking advantage of improving textbook availability because they
have had no experience in classroom management based on an adequate number textbooks.
Furthermore, their pre-service training may not have provided them with a range of skills
necessary for the kind of pupil-centred teaching and learning that is possible when textbook
availability improves. (This might apply particularly to those teachers recently recruited under
UPE, who have had only one year of training.)
It is recommended that MOEC review the content of their pre-service and, particularly, inservice training to explore possibilities for giving further attention to the role of textbooks in
the classroom.
With or without such attention to the content of PRESET and INSET training, a system of
regular monitoring of textbook use in the classroom is necessary. Such monitoring should not
be designed as an assessment of the teacher’s performance but as means of providing further
support to the teacher in key areas. Monitoring may therefore be carried out by inspectors or
by teacher college tutors. A monitoring instrument may be a useful means for measuring
improvements in the classroom use of educational materials.
14.7.3 Storage of educational materials
While some headteachers have attended workshops on storage there is clearly a need for
further work on storage issues because poor storage and stock management could easily result
in unacceptably high levels of loss and damage, which in turn could undermine the substantial
investment in instructional materials by the GOT in order to upgrade student performance and
educational outcomes. A storage survey, combined with a planned rapid upgrading for high
priority schools (those with little or no on site storage at all) plus additional headteacher
training and improved inspection could be the way forward in the short term. These activities
could be linked to activities relating to the establishment of libraries (see 14.7.1).
41
The READ campaign in South Africa is a notable example.
37
In its comments to the consultant the QITWG note that a study of school storage capacity has
already been carried out by MOEC. The consultant was not aware of this survey during his
visits, nor of when it was carried out. Clearly, the existence of this survey may make
redundant the survey proposed by the consultant. However, the survey needs to be drawn on
in order to design and implement a programme of training and upgrading.
It should be noted also that in the context of an expected significant increase in funds to be
made available for educational materials purchase during 2003, the volume of new stock
arriving in schools will overload the already meagre storage capacity.42 The proposed storage
survey and upgrading should therefore be a priority, whether or not it is linked to a
programme of work to develop school libraries.
14.8 Institutional
14.8.1 The BMU
Until the transformation of textbook provision from ITP to PEDP, the BMU was the clear
focal point of all EM activities. It established systems of provision, disbursed textbooks and
monitored the system.
However, under PEDP, there is some lack of clarity over the responsibility for certain
activities. This lack of clarity is evident at District level, where DEOs are sometimes not sure
who their reference point should be in Dar es Salaam: the BMU, the PEDP Coordinating Unit
or PO-RALG. The source of the instructions regarding the spending of textbook funds is often
the Permanent Secretary of MOEC, which reinforces for the DEO the continuing connection
with MOEC rather than PO-RALG. In fact the PS has instructed DEOs by letter to submit
reports on their use of EM funds (with accompanying documentation) to her.
There is a clear need for a department, probably based within MOEC, with specific
responsibility for managing all aspects of EM provision that relate specifically to quality, and
for co-ordinating all other aspects of work on EM.43
Educational materials are recognised by GoT as being one of the key quality components in
education, along with curriculum development, teacher development, and pupil assessment.
Just as those inputs require specialised management to ensure effective delivery, and have
their institutional base within MOEC (or TIE) the same applies to the provision of EM.
The provision of EM requires, on the one hand, administrative supervision and monitoring,
which is and will be managed by PO-RALG. However, developing the capacity for EM, and
particularly textbooks, to contribute to improving the quality of teaching and learning
methods is far more than an issue of good administration. It requires an understanding of the
teaching and learning process.
Furthermore, effective support to the provision of EM, even when the provision is fully
decentralised and operational at school level, requires an understanding of the book industry
(publishers and booksellers).
A unit such as the BMU provides all of the above strengths. It also provides the ‘institutional
memory’ for all issues related to educational materials. Without such a unit, the work of this
consultant, for example, would have been hard to carry out. The BMU was able to provide
42
For example, taking an average school size of 500 pupils, and budgeting for the full disbursement of $4
(approximately TSh 4,000) for the purchase of EM and taking an average textbook price as TSh 2,500, the average
school will purchase some 800 textbooks in just one year.
43 In its comments to the consultant, under the heading ‘Institutional responsibilities’, the QITWG recommended
the establishment of ‘a sub-section within the Policy and Planning Directorate entrusted with overseeing all issues
pertaining to educational materials’. As far as the consultant can see, this matches the consultant’s proposal.
38
background information and documents, as well as insights into recent experiences in the
reform of educational materials provision.
A unit entrusted with overall responsibility for ensuring effective provision of EM to schools
should therefore be retained. This would be preferably within the MOEC, since it will almost
certainly one day include responsibility for EM provision to secondary schools also, and
therefore should not be located in PO-RALG which has no role in secondary education.
However, the precise location of this unit will need to be discussed and agreed.
14.9 Financing
14.9.1 Volume of funds
There is a clear shortfall in the current volume of funds available for educational materials
purchase. The current commitment is to providing US$4 per pupil each year, according to the
terms of the PEDP. It will be necessary to exceed this commitment in order to achieve the
target pupil:textbook ratio of 1:1 for all grades by 2006, as planned in the PEDP.
It might be more realistic to adopt a target pupil:textbook ratio of 1:2 instead, as the following
calculations show. (The calculations assume a textbook life of 4 years, which can only be
achieved by much stricter requirements for textbook manufacture. It should be noted,
however, that even with improved manufacture, a textbook life of 4 years may only be
achievable for Std 5-7, while a life of 3 years is more realistic for Std 1-4.)
(a) To maintain a pupil:textbook ratio of 1:3
Number of textbooks required per grade: 6
Average price of textbook: 3,000 TSh
Average book life (if technical specifications are improved): 4 years
Therefore, the recurrent annual cost of providing a full set of textbooks for each primary
school pupil in each grade, in a ratio of 1:3, would be:
6 textbooks x 3,000 TSh = 1,500 TSh per pupil per year
4 years x 3 pupils
(b) To maintain a pupil:textbook ratio of 1:2
6 textbooks x 3,000 TSh = 2,250 TSh per pupil per year
4 years x 2 pupils
(c) To maintain a pupil:textbook ratio of 1:1
6 textbooks x 3,000 TSh = 4,500 TSh per pupil per year
4 years
It should be noted that the above calculations do not include any non-textbook materials. Nor
do they include provision for teachers’ guides to support the textbooks. If the funding for EM
can be maintained at US$4 therefore, it is recommended that a pupil:textbook ratio of 1:2 is
accepted as a realistic target, thus allowing funds to be made available for non-textbook
materials (for example, for the proposed library support programme and the possible
HIV/AIDS materials).
14.9.2 Disbursement of funds
The present system of disbursement of funds for EM is characterised by irregular intervals
between disbursements, with no linkage between the timing of the school year and the
availability of the funds. There are also considerable cost implications in the provision of
funds several times during the year. Each disbursement requires a school to make a new
39
order, which requires the publisher to refresh his/her marketing to that school, and requires
the bookseller to make several more visits to the school to win and supply the school’s order.
It is recommended that GoT consider reviewing the timing of disbursements for the purchase
of EM in the medium term. More regular disbursements, with longer intervals, would allow
the book industry to organise itself around seasons. Marketing and selling strategies could
therefore be planned in advance.
In the medium to long term, a single annual disbursement or half-yearly disbursements would
be recommended options.
14.9.3 Monitoring and auditing
There is already a system in place for District level approval of school spending above
TSh 200,000. A similar system should be used for EM purchase. The systems that will be
required to support that mechanism include regular monitoring of documentation of school
spending at District level and at central level when Districts submit documentation copies to
the centre. This will highlight problem areas for further investigation.
However, the responsibility for central monitoring of Districts needs to be clarified. It is clear
that the task of monitoring should be based at PO-RALG, who will carry out the task in cooperation with MOEC.
Furthermore, a system of random spot checks by PO-RALG on school accounting will
provide a snapshot of ongoing problems and can be effective in encouraging schools to keep
good records.
40
Annex 1: Schedule of activities to implement school-based EM procurement
The following table indicates the expected sequence of activities, solely to implement schoolbased procurement, which has been identified as the priority area by MOEC. Activities
relating to other policy and strategy areas would need to be scheduled following agreement
with MOEC/PO-RALG.
1. Agree operational procedures for decentralised procurement, and create (a) a manual
of operational guidelines and (b) a school textbook management manual
2. Conduct study of school storage capacity and prepare storage guidelines for schools
(to be included in school training guidelines) (item 17 below). Study will be based on
survey already carried out by MOEC.
3. Design training programme for Inspectors to train school headteachers (plus one
teacher) and WECs, including training manual;
Identify trainers (8 or 16) to carry out training of Inspectors
4. Identify monitoring officers at District level and design training for Districts (in
monitoring schools)
5. Workshop for BSAT on effective management of a booksellers association, and
strategy for expansion
6. BSAT plans recruitment drive, agrees membership conditions and code of practice,
and agrees MoU with PATA
7. Design bookseller training programme in marketing, financial management, stockkeeping etc, as well as operation of new system, including Booksellers’ Manual.
8. Publicise bookseller training programme (and request Districts to identify potential
booksellers to participate) – with BSAT
9. Run series of nationwide workshops for booksellers
10. Prepare approved EM list including prices
11. Prepare school order forms
12. Prepare school textbook management manuals
13. Print approved book list, school order forms, school textbook management manuals
14. Train Inspectors to train schools (and WECs) and to monitor system
15. Identify and train District officers to monitor system (team of 2-3 per District)
16. Districts invite local booksellers to attend inspector-led school training workshops
(see item 17)
17. Inspectors train schools (and WECs) in textbook selection, ordering and
management (include training in function of textbook)
Use training to distribute approved book list, order forms and textbook management
manuals to schools;
Provide copies of school textbook management manuals to invited booksellers
18. Disburse EM funds to schools
19. Booksellers promote and supply school orders
20. Monitoring, auditing and evaluation
41
Annex 2
Training schedule required to support implementation of school-based EM procurement
(for 2003 only)
Activity
Workshop for BSAT executive
committee on effective management
and expansion of booksellers’
association44
Train existing and potential
booksellers in marketing, financial
management, stock keeping,
operational details45
Number of
workshops
required
1
21 (one per
region)
Train Inspectors (2 from each
District) to train schools (and
WECs) in textbook selection and
procurement, as well as textbook
management and storage
Inspectors train schools and WECs
in textbook selection and
procurement
8 (This would
require training
approximately
15 Districts in
each)
363 (3 per
District)
Train Districts to monitor school
procurement operations
8 (This would
require training
approximately
15 Districts in
each)
Number of participants
per workshop
Days required
10-20? (BSAT executive
committee may co-opt
other members to
participate)
Estimated 20 booksellers
per workshop (actual
number will only be
possible to verify at the
time)
30 Inspectors per
workshop (2 per District)
5 days
Approximately 30
schools (x 2
representatives each) +
10 WECs per workshop
30 District officers (2
from each District) per
workshop
5 days for each
workshop
Note: In addition to the above activities, the following will also be required:
 Printing training manuals and management manuals
 Publicity/advertising to attract booksellers to workshops
44
45
Technical assistance should be provided for this workshop
The training should be carried out with technical assistance, supported by BSAT
42
2 days for each
workshop
5 days for each
workshop
3 days for each
workshop
Annex 3
Technical assistance required to support implementation of school-based EM
procurement (for 2003 only)
Activity
Days required
in country
Activity 146
- Prepare and agree overall plan for new system for decentralised
procurement
- Agree operational procedures for decentralised procurement
- Create manual of operational guidelines
- Draft outline of school textbook management manual
Activity 2
- Review existing MOEC school storage survey results
- Prepare school storage guidelines for schools
Activity 3
Finalise school textbook management manuals and prepare school
order forms
Activity 4
- Design training programme for Inspectors to train school
headteachers, selected teachers and WECs
- Prepare training manual
Activity 5
- Assist in identifying District-level monitoring officers to monitor
school performance in procuring textbooks
- Design training for monitoring officers, including training manual
- Design monitoring system/instruments and profile for monitoring
officers
Activity 6
Run workshop for BSAT on effective management of a booksellers
association, and agree strategy for BSAT expansion
Activity 7
- Design bookseller training programme in marketing, financial
management, stock-keeping etc, as well as operation of new system
- Assist in designing publicity campaign for booksellers workshops
- Assist in preparation of Booksellers’ Supply Manual
Activity 8
Run regional workshops for booksellers
Activity 9
First general monitoring and evaluation visit
Activity 10
Second general monitoring and evaluation visit
Activity 11
Monitoring and evaluation visit for booksellers
Total
28 (over 2
visits)
Preparation &
Finalisation
Days
6
14
4
14
3
14
4
14
2
14
2
14
3
21 days each x
4 consultants
14
3 days x 4
consultants
3
14
3
14
3
238
45
Note:
This schedule provides only for technical assistance to end of 2003. Further technical
assistance is expected to be required in 2004 to ensure effective implementation of schoolbased procurement.
46
It is envisaged that the draft operational manual would be prepared following the first visit and
revised during the second visit
43
Annex 4
Summary of other technical assistance required for 2003-04
The following schedule is a summary of additional activities that will require technical
assistance in order to implement the full proposed new educational materials strategy. It is
expected that the scale of work for the MOEC to carry out in order to implement school-based
procurement will make it difficult to start work on other proposed components for the time
being. Many of the following activities will consist of several sub-activities and will be
provided in detail upon request.
Design revised textbook evaluation system and evaluation instrument (including competition
documents, if competitive evaluation is adopted), and improve production specifications of
all educational materials
Design national programme for school library development (with input from Tusome Vitabu
and CBP projects)
Design national programme for classroom-based literacy programme (including possible
study tours)
Design textbook component for PRESET and INSET
44
Annex 5: The Children’s Book Project and the Tusome Vitabu Project
5.1 The Children’s Book Project
The project began in 1991 with the aim of encouraging the development of locally published
reading materials and encouraging schools to develop libraries. At the start of the project only
10 readers were available. There are now 165 titles.
Each year new schools are selected to participate within selected Districts. Over 2,000 schools
have now participated. Each year, the participating schools receive 6 copies of each title
selected and published that year.
Schools are given training in setting up and running a library.
Publishers deliver books to schools. Booksellers are not involved although the project has
held talks with booksellers. Nor is there any element of school-based selection.
The methodology was that publishers submitted manuscripts for evaluation. Successful
publishers had to publish 5,000 copies of which the project bought 3,000. The project
provided training for authors, editors and illustrators and included attachments at publishing
houses in Kenya.
An early discovery of the project was that schools that were provided with readers did not
know how to use them effectively, or were not using them at all. The project therefore began
a readership programme, which now includes 30 schools. The programme focuses on:
 Teaching methods
 School-based production of reading materials
 Using classroom walls
 Making teaching materials
The readership programme schools receive 20 copies of 80 titles from the project backlist.
The project reports a considerable success in encouraging literacy, with enthusiasm from
pupils in participating schools.
5.2 The Tusome Vitabu Project
Starting in November 1999, the Tusome Vitabu Project was sponsored by the Royal
Netherlands Embassy, managed by CARE International, with E and D Publishing providing
technical support.
The overall objective of the project is to enhance readership among children and teachers. In
year 1 of the project the specific objective was the development of school libraries. The
essential idea was that schools develop library areas using their own resources (and according
to standards designed by the project) as a condition for receiving project support for purchase
of stock. To this was added in year 2 the decentralisation to schools of purchasing stock for
the libraries. (In year 1, the project supplied the book stock directly to the schools.)
Each participating school is required to form a project committee, which is a sub-committee
of the school committee, including appointing a school librarian. Each school was provided
with a catalogue of non-textbook materials selected by the project. Each school was also
provide with a sum per pupil (2,000 TSh).
45
In year 2, three models of procurement were piloted:
Model 1: Direct purchase
Parents were asked to provide 5% of school fees for the purchase of books (in addition to the
project funding) from a local supplier (this was prior to adoption of UPE and abolition of
school fees).
Model 2: School-based tender
The school invited bidders to bid to supply from project book list. School was given project
bank account with DEO as one of the signatories. All schools received bids, with some
bidders responding in more than one District. Bidders were not required to have a local
presence or showroom.
Model 3: District-based tender
Identical to Model 2 except that the District consolidated the school orders.
E and D report that the second model worked best.
One of the problems faced by the project in year 2 was the high charges that some suppliers
charged remote access schools for their books. For year 3 the project has agreed with
publishers and booksellers that school may pay no more than 10% above the listed price.
A further problem faced was the delay by publishers in supplying orders. (The average
delivery time for delivery of orders was 2-3 months.) The project has therefore instructed
publishers that where an ordered title is unavailable it will be deleted from the subsequent
year’s catalogue. The project has also recommended to schools to have a list of alternative
orders ready.
46
Annex 6
Schedule of work for consultant’s December 2002 visit
Monday 25
November
Tuesday 26
November
Wednesday 27
November
Thursday
28 November
Friday
29 November
Saturday
30 November
Sunday
1 December
Monday
2 December
Tuesday
3 December
Wednesday
4 December
Thursday
5 December
Friday
6 December
Saturday
7 December
Sunday
8 December
Monday
9 December
Tuesday
10 December
Wednesday
11 December
Arrive Dar-es-Salaam
11:00 Meet Donald Hamilton, Task Manager, World Bank
12:00 Meet Rose Massenga, Director of Teacher Education
Alice Rugumyamheto, Head of Book Management Unit
Andrew Binde, Assistant Director of Teacher Education
9:00 Meet Alice Rugumyamheto
12:00 Meet Abdullah Saiwaad, Manager, Readit Publications
2:00 Meet Demere Kitunga and Elieshi Lema, E and D Ltd
12:00 Meet Albert Mwaipyana, bookseller and executive secretary of BSAT,
and Ashok Patel, Director, New Textbook Centre
2:00 Meet E.A. Moshi, Managing Director, Mture
10:00 Meet Dr Naomi Katunzi, Director, and Mr Fred Sichizya, Deputy
Director, TIE
12:00 Meet Jumanne Sagini, Assistant Co-ordinator, PEDP Co-ordinating Unit
1:00 Meet Samson Hangu, EMAC
2:00 Studying documentation submitted by Districts in BMU office
Visit Bagamoyo District:
Kongo Primary School, Mwanamakaka Primary School, District Education
Office
Writing up notes
Writing up notes
Meet: Ashok Patel and visit other small bookshops in Dar (Uhuru, Sai Elemu)
9:00 Alice Rugumyamheto
9:30 Ian Moshi, Ben and Co Publications
11:00 Khalaf Rashid, Managing Director, Macmillan Aidan, and chairman of
PATA
2:30 Meet Albert Mwaipyana, bookseller and executive secretary of BSAT
Travel to Muheza District
Visit DEO and Mkumbi Primary School
7:00 Meet J.A. Haraba, Regional Education Director, Tanga Region
Visit schools in Lushoto District:
Kizara Primary School and Fumbai Primary School
8:30 Visit DEO, Lushoto District
Travel back to Dar es Salaam
Prepare discussion notes for publishers’ meeting
10:00 Meet publishers (see Annex X for list of participants)
12:00 Meet Lipangala Minzi , Executive Secretary, Children’s Book Project
Working on discussion paper
Working on discussion paper
Public holiday (Independence Day)
10:30 Meet Eunice xxx, Co-ordinator of Tusome Vitabu Project
4:00 Meet Jonny Baxter, Education Adviser, DFID
11:30 Meet F.M. Liboy, Director of Education Co-ordination Unit, PO-RALG
3:30 Meet booksellers (plenary meeting)
9:30 Round-table meeting of QITWG and World Bank (see Annex for list of
participants)
Depart Tanzania
47
Annex 7
List of participants at consultant’s meeting with publishers, 6 December 2002
Khalaf Rashid, Macmillan Aidan
Pashally Mayega, MPB Enterprises
Godfrey Mwakisyale, Usangu Traders
Willborada Athanasa, Executive Secretary, PATA
A.S. Sulle, TUKI – UDSM
Premus Isidor Karugendo, Tanzania Publishing House
Grace Foya, Kapsel Educational Publishers
Elieshi Lema, E and D Ltd
M.S. Mohamed, Educational Publishers Ltd
Annex 8
List of participants at roundtable meeting at MOEC, 11 December 2002
Mrs Rose Massenga, Director, Teacher Education
Mr Andrew Binde, Assistant Director, Teacher Education
Mrs Alice Rugumyamheto, Head, BMU
Mr S. Kisanga, TIE
Mrs Agnes Njabili, Director, NECTA
Mrs R. Msoffe, Inspectorate Monitoring Department
Mr Donald Hamilton, Task Manager, World Bank
Ms Rest B. Lasway, Education Specialist, World Bank
Andy Smart, IBD
48
Annex 9
Terms of reference for consultant’s December 2002 visit
The consultant will:
1. Become familiar with the current primary textbook provision system in Tanzania, and in
particular with any current problems and difficulties in the operation of the provision system
of concern to the MOE
2. Identify, in close association with the MOE, the key textbook policies and objectives of the
GOT as the framework for the development of a draft textbook strategy, which will be
designed to implement the identified objectives of the GOT
3. Develop a draft textbook provision implementation strategy for primary textbooks for
discussion with the GOT. This strategy will cover textbook approval systems, school based
financing, school based selection from an approved list of competing alternative, textbooks,
distribution and consolidation, storage and usage issues and cost reduction strategies
4. Provide rough cost estimates for the implementation of the proposed strategy(ies)
5. Wherever possible, the consultant should provide options and alternative approaches with
pros and cons for consideration and discussion with the GOT
6. After the preparation of an outline strategy and detailed discussions with the GOT, the
consultant will finalise the strategy in the UK and provide a final report and strategy within 10
days of completion of the field work (i.e. by no later than 23rd December 2002)
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