The Tanzanian Institute of Education (TIE) board has Been Directed to Suspend its three senior officials

THE Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) board has been directed to suspend its three senior officials over irregularities in the printing of more than two
million copies of authorised textbooks for Standard One pupils worth over 2bn/-.Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ms Maimuna Tarishi, announced the decision in Dar es Salaam yesterday, saying the officials must be suspended to facilitate a probe.

“TIE did not implement its obligation to oversee the publication of the books in compliance with procurement rules and regulations,” she said. Ms Tarishi pointed out that as a result of the irregularities; Standard One pupils in the class of 2016 missed the books, which cannot be used again.

The suspended officials include Head of Procurement and Supply Department, Jackson Mwaigonela, TIE lawyer, Pili Magongo and Acting Director, Department of Education Materials, Peter Bandio.

Expounding further, she said the government contracted three printers, namely Jamana Printers Limited, the Tanzania Printing Service (TPS) and Yukos Enterprises Limited, with each required to print more than 2m/- copies.

She said that Yukos Enterprises Limited did not comply with the terms of the contract with TIE -- as copies submitted by the company were of poor quality, especially the colours used, poor page layout while some of the books showed signs of wear and tear even before being used.

“Follow-ups made by the ministry observed many flaws in books published by Yukos, which ordered TIE to stop receiving the remaining copies from the publisher. But the institute did not act upon the matter,” elaborated Ms Tarishi.

The PS also directed the publisher to remove the books from the government warehouse under government supervision and make sure the copies are destroyed and not taken to the market.

On whether the government suffered a loss or not, she said it did not as the printer was paid 20 per cent of the total amount, which was given under a bank guarantee.

Speaking on the books to be used by pupils, the Commissioner of Education, Professor Eustelia Bhalalusesa, said teacher guide books were prepared, printed and distributed among teachers.

“The printer has ruined our plans to start using the new books. That means teachers will have to use their guide books while pupils will keep on using the former authorised books by the ministry while waiting for other measures,” she said.

Prof Bhalalusesa said the new curriculum was prepared to give precise information to teachers on ways of assessing and assist pupils master basic reading, writing and mathematics skills.

Acting TIE Director General Habibu Fentu had in January told this newspaper that there were some problems with the publishing process in the country to the extent that one of the contracted printers decided to go in India for the purpose.

Mr Fentu said they did not supply the books at a required time as the printer who did the job in India his containers stuck at the port which had more than two million copies.

TIE was also directed by the Minister for Education to remove all unauthorised textbooks from primary and secondary schools by this year. As the country started providing free education in January 2016 still most primary schools face extreme shortage of textbooks.

The government has planned to address the shortage of textbooks and desks by 2016, funds for which will come from the capitation grant to be allocated annually.

A total of 302bn/- was needed for the one book per student ratio in addition to another 173bn/- to address the shortage of desks