Local printers have capacity to satisfy educational sector, Saturday, February 26, 2011, Spread
THE inability of the Ministry of Education (MoE) to implement the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) textbook policy which makes it mandatory to print 60 per cent of textbooks locally is stifling the printing industry in Ghana, the Ghana Printers and Paper Converters Association (GPPCA) has said.
It said contrary to suggestions that the local industry was saddled with problems, it had the capacity to meet the demands of the educational sector.
The President of the association, Mr James Appiah-Berko Snr, made the observation when he led executives of the association to pay a courtesy call on the Minister of Education, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, to present the challenges of the industry to her and discuss avenues of co-operation which would ultimately lead to the strengthening of the printing industry to meet the textbook and exercise book needs of the country.
He noted that industry players had invested millions of dollars to acquire printing machines for the production of textbooks in line with the FCUBE textbook policy but the machines were being under-utilised.
Mr Appiah-Berko said even though the policy made provision for an appropriate domestic preference in the price evaluation of bids submitted by local industry players, since 2002 bidding documents had been silent on the said provision.
He noted that although the MoE, by policy, promoted the use of both Ghanaian publishers and printers, only the publishers had benefited fully since the implementation of the policy.
Responding to the concerns, Mrs Mould-Iddrisu said the ministry would take the appropriate actions to address the concerns of the printing industry, saying, “The country’s foreign exchange should not be used in areas where there is capacity for local content.”
She welcomed the suggestion to establish a permanent technical committee and directed the GPPCA to submit the names of those who would represent it.
It said contrary to suggestions that the local industry was saddled with problems, it had the capacity to meet the demands of the educational sector.
The President of the association, Mr James Appiah-Berko Snr, made the observation when he led executives of the association to pay a courtesy call on the Minister of Education, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, to present the challenges of the industry to her and discuss avenues of co-operation which would ultimately lead to the strengthening of the printing industry to meet the textbook and exercise book needs of the country.
He noted that industry players had invested millions of dollars to acquire printing machines for the production of textbooks in line with the FCUBE textbook policy but the machines were being under-utilised.
Mr Appiah-Berko said even though the policy made provision for an appropriate domestic preference in the price evaluation of bids submitted by local industry players, since 2002 bidding documents had been silent on the said provision.
He noted that although the MoE, by policy, promoted the use of both Ghanaian publishers and printers, only the publishers had benefited fully since the implementation of the policy.
Responding to the concerns, Mrs Mould-Iddrisu said the ministry would take the appropriate actions to address the concerns of the printing industry, saying, “The country’s foreign exchange should not be used in areas where there is capacity for local content.”
She welcomed the suggestion to establish a permanent technical committee and directed the GPPCA to submit the names of those who would represent it.
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