Ahmad Sulliman, director of Éditions Le Printemps, a local publisher and bookstore owner, has expressed concerns about the upcoming school year. With over 36 years of experience in the industry, Sulliman has seen firsthand the challenges that come with providing textbooks to schools. He has started warning parents that the situation may be complicated due to delays in receiving lists of required books from schools.
According to Sulliman, only 25 out of 150 schools had provided their lists of required books as of November 2. This represents less than 20% of the total number of schools. Sulliman believes that this delay will lead to problems in providing the necessary textbooks on time. He notes that the situation is similar to, if not worse than, previous years.
The issue primarily affects books printed locally, particularly those for secondary school students. These include supplementary materials and textbooks for Grades 10 to 13, which are not provided free of charge to parents. Sulliman emphasizes the importance of receiving lists of required books to ensure that the correct quantities are printed. This helps to avoid overproduction, which can be costly, or underproduction, which can lead to shortages.
Sulliman provides the example of a mathematics textbook for Grade 10 students. Different schools may use different textbooks, and without knowing the number of students requiring each book, it is challenging to determine the correct print run. A print run of 1,000 copies has a lower cost per unit compared to a print run of 100 copies.
Sulliman estimates that the cost of a selection of prescribed books will increase by around 10% compared to the previous year. His company, Éditions Le Printemps, has published several titles that are returning to the curriculum, including "La diligence s'éloigne à l'aube" by Marcelle Lagesse and "Une jeune femme au mont Limon". The company has also published works by famous authors such as Mouloud Feraoun and Guy de Maupassant.
Sulliman notes that his company produces books with added value, including critical analyses, commentary, and biographical notes. The company has also ventured into producing English-language textbooks, including a recent publication of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". For the upcoming year, they will be publishing "The Tempest" with modern English annotations.
Sulliman believes that the main issue lies in the planning and communication between schools, the government, and publishers. He feels that with proper planning, it is possible to negotiate better prices for bulk orders and avoid additional costs. However, the lack of communication and planning has resulted in a situation where the government has had to spend at least Rs 4 million on reprinting books that were supposed to be free.
Key points
- The education sector in Mauritius is facing challenges due to delays in the availability of textbooks for the upcoming school year.
- The delays are primarily affecting locally printed books for secondary school students.
- The situation may lead to increased costs and shortages of textbooks if not addressed promptly.
