World Book and Copyright Day launched
World Book and Copyright Day launched
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 April 2001
Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Education, on Monday said his ministry will soon start a major textbook development and distribution programme for both public and private basic schools to improve on their book situation.
To this end, the ministry is to divest itself of its role of publisher and distributor of textbooks to encourage private sector participation, he said.
The minister, who was launching this year's World Book and Copyright Day (WBCD), called on members of the local book industry to avail themselves of the opportunity.
The day under the theme: "Give a Book Today", aims at creating book awareness and inculcating reading habit into the youth and the adult population alike.
The general conference of UNESCO proclaimed April 23 as World Book Day, which has a symbolic significance of world literature, being the date on which renowned authors such as Cervants, William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega died.
Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi said the ministry has finalised a policy on the programme, which would serve as government's blueprint for the procurement and supply of textbooks adding that this should help capitalise members of the local book industry to work as a team.
The project, which involves over 50 million dollars, would provide both new and revised textbooks to all schools by the first term of the 2002/2003 academic year upon timely release of funds.
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