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- Jul 30, 2008
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Kassim Majaliwa, Deputy Minister Prime Minister's Office Regional Administration and Local Governments responsible for Education
The government has confirmed plans to centralise capitation grant by sending 40 and 50 per cent of the money to primary and secondary school respectively, in order to procure text books.
The plan is to ensure the national target for one text book for every student is realised, Deputy Minister Prime Ministers Office Regional Administration and Local Governments responsible for Education, Kassim Majaliwa told the National Assembly yesterday.
According to the Deputy Minister, the government has realised that a huge portion of capitation grant sent directly to public schools was spent to buy text books.
A big number of teachers have been spending the money to buy books and now, we have centralised the amount by 40 per cent just for books in primary schools, he said.
The government reaction followed an inquiry prompted by Dr Anthony Mbassa (Biharamulo-West, Chadema). The MP had asked for plans to urgently address the shortage of books in public schools across the country.
Dr Mbassa urged for alternative actions considering the fact that the amount of money for primary and secondary schools was not enough to meet the demand.
Earlier, Special Seats MP Christowaja Mtinda (Chadema) wondered how the Secondary Education Development Programme had brought tangible benefits in public schools.
The lawmaker said, to what extent the second phase (2011/12-2015/16) of the programme which focuses at allocating at least 25,000/- to each secondary student across the country had succeeded?
The deputy minister said, as part of the programme, it had enabled students access books in a ratio of one book to three students.
Over 33.2bn/- equivalent to 22,736/63 per student was spent during 2011/12 academic year.
About 22.4bn/- approximately to 14,750/- per student was also released during 2012/13 academic year, he detailed.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN