Abstract:
The provision of textbooks is important in the overall education system of a country
hence a major component of national development. Textbooks are required for teaching
and learning, consequently it is important to ensure that they are sustainably provided.
Zimbabwean schools experienced a dire shortage of textbooks due to the dwindling
funds for grants caused by hyper-inflation resulting in UNICEF purchasing and
donating only core textbooks to schools. Shortages still exist in the other subject areas
thus this study sought to explore the ways in which textbooks could be provided to
schools in Zimbabwe on a sustainable basis. The aim of the study was to investigate the
provision of textbooks to schools in Zimbabwe with a view of proposing sustainable
strategies for the industry in order to improve the situation. The objectives of the study
were to examine the current state of textbook provision in schools in Zimbabwe in line
with the desired quantity in order to verify the gap in provision; establish the sources of
funds for the purchase of textbooks in relation to the desired sources; examine the
procurement procedures for schools textbooks versus the desired; examine policies or
legislation that are in place to support textbook provision in Zimbabwe in relation to the
ideal policy framework; determine the challenges faced by stakeholders in providing
textbooks to schools on a sustainable basis and to propose strategies for providing
textbooks to schools as a solution to sustainable textbook provision. The Needs
Assessment Theory was adopted for this study which emphasised the gap between what
is ideal and what is real in relation to textbook provision in Zimbabwe. The study
adopted a mixed methods approach and an exploratory survey design was used. The
study population of 7953 consisted of school heads in Zimbabwe, staff at the Zimbabwe
Book Publishers Association, the Booksellers Association of Zimbabwe, the textbook
publishing houses and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. The study
used judgemental, stratified and convenience sampling to come up with a sample size of
111. Data was collected using interviews and questionnaires and presented as well as
analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The major findings of the study were that
there are not enough textbooks in schools in Zimbabwe because funding of school
textbooks provision was inadequate even though procurement procedures were
adequate, efficient as well as effective and that policies in support of provision of
schools textbooks were not existent and there were various challenges faced by
stakeholders in providing textbooks. Recommendations included the government
formulating and enacting a National Book Policy; parents buying textbooks for their
children as well as government funds for the purchase of textbooks being raised and
availed on time.