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Launch of Africa Education Initiative Textbook Program Highlights Collaboration Between USAID, An Education NGO, and the Ministry of Education

September 21, 2006

A program to produce 600,000 quality mathematics textbooks and learning materials for Grade 4 and 5 pupils was launched in Lusaka on September 21, by Mrs. Lillian E.L. Kapulu, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education.

The Textbooks and Learning Materials Program (TLMP) is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Education, the Mississippi Consortium for International Development (MCID), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

TLMP aims to produce quality textbooks and learning materials to enable pupils to complete their primary education and give them confidence to succeed at higher levels of education. It is a key component of the Africa Education Initiative (AEI) announced by President George W. Bush in June 2002. The $400-million initiative runs from 2006 to 2010 and will help improve primary education by providing teacher training, textbooks and other learning materials.

“We are making this contribution because we strongly believe that educating students through quality books will give them the tools to be productive members of the Zambian society.” said Dr. Ally Mack, executive director of MCID.

The MCID is a non-profit corporation representing four Mississippi institutions of higher learning, including Jackson State University, Alcorn State University, Tougaloo College, and Mississippi Valley State University.

At the launch, Mrs. Kapulu said the day marks a milestone in the history of education in Zambia. “The development, publication, and distribution of textbooks and learning materials is in line with the Ministry of Education priorities and strategies. The program is also aligned to the new syllabus for primary schools,” she said.

USAID/Zambia Mission Director, Mr. James Bednar, said equipping students with the right tools will give them more choices and place them in a better position to achieve their dreams to become more productive members of society. “USAID is happy to work with the Mississippi Consortium and the Ministry of Education to ensure that these items are distributed to the schools as soon as possible,” he said.
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