The Ministry of Education has warned private schools against compelling parents to purchase unapproved textbooks, describing the practice as an exploitation of families for commercial gain.

The warning comes as the Ministry, through the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), undertakes a comprehensive review of the Basic School Curriculum from Kindergarten One (KG1) to Primary Six.

Press Secretary and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Hasmin Mohammed, said the curriculum review process was still ongoing and that the revised curriculum had not yet been approved for implementation.

He stressed that until the process is completed, both public and private schools are required to continue using the existing approved curriculum and NaCCA-approved textbooks.

“The Ministry of Education, through the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), is undertaking a comprehensive revision of the Basic School Curriculum from KG1 to Primary 6. That process is ongoing. The revised curriculum has not yet been approved for implementation,” he said.

According to him, the government will procure the necessary textbooks and Teaching and Learning Materials (TLMs) to support the implementation of the revised curriculum when it receives approval.

However, Mr Mohammed expressed concern about what he described as an emerging practice in some private schools, where parents are allegedly being pressured to buy textbooks developed by individual writers or in collaboration with schools without approval from NaCCA.

He said some of the materials were being sold at exorbitant prices, placing unnecessary financial burdens on parents.

“Education must not become a marketplace for exploiting parents,” he stated.

The Ministry's spokesperson called on parents and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) to speak up against proprietors of private schools who impose unapproved learning materials on families for their commercial interests.

He noted that NaCCA had been empowered by Parliament to enforce compliance and sanction schools found to be using textbooks that had not received approval from the Council.

“NaCCA has been empowered by Parliament to enforce compliance and take action against schools using unapproved textbooks. The Council is already in the field monitoring schools and will sanction institutions found to be in breach of the law,” Mr Mohammed said.

He urged the public to support efforts by the government and NaCCA to ensure that private schools comply with approved textbook requirements.

Mr Mohammed maintained that parents should not be made to pay high prices for textbooks that have not been approved by NaCCA, alleging that some school proprietors were bypassing approved materials in pursuit of commercial interests.

He said the Ministry would continue working to protect parents from exploitation while ensuring that schools use learning materials that meet the required national standards.