The Ashanti Region Writers and Publishers Association (ASHWAPA) of over 2000 membership have asked government to drastically reduce books assessments charges by National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NaCCA) and as well allow them to sell out already printed out books to schools in the country.
“The cost of submitting books for assessment is too huge, we can’t afford to pay”. The association told the Goldstreet Business Newspaper
The Book writers and Publishers previously were paying a minimum of GHc50- GHc300 for the cost of submitting books to the Ministry of Education via Ghana Education Service for assessment depending on the number the books pages.
However, the fees have been increased more than 100 percent under what is called ‘Submission Guidelines’ after the recent introduction of the New Curriculum or Syllabus by the Education Ministry via the National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NaCCA).
The charges range from GHc675 to GHc2250 and more dependent on the number of a book pages.
A writer/publisher is to pay a fee for submitting a 52 page and below book for assessment or editing at a cost of GHc675 as the minimum charge.
“Assuming you submit a book of 200 pages from class 1- 6, you have to pay GHc7800”, ASHWAPA stated.
ASHWAPA believe that the benchmarks on the books are a way by which government wants to scrap its members from business.
Besides, the NaCCA said it will not allow publishers to sell their books to schools without approval. It has decided to introduce a short code to the public to control the Ghanaian writers and Publishers unapproved books.
Subsequently, ASHWAPA think that “it’s a way to give contracts to their cronies and sideline the lot of publishers”.
The writers and Publishers alleged that a letter is circulating in schools telling them not to buy supplementary books from them (publishers) but rather government will provide schools with the books.
In spite of the cost involved, the writers and Publishers have appealed to Ministry of Education via the NaCCA to sell out the already printed out books to schools in the subsequent year of 2020/2021 academic year.
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