22 January 2008
Maputo — Mozambique's National School Materials Distribution Company (DINAME) on Tuesday guaranteed that all the educational materials that it distributes free of charge will have reached every school before the beginning of the school year, on 28 January.
DINAME's marketing director, Paulino Tauzane, told AIM that about 90 per cent of the materials have already been placed in the district capitals, and all that is left now is to send them to the respective local schools.
"Before the school year begins, books will be at the teaching institutions. There is no reason for doubt because the education authorities have been working ever closer with DINAME to facilitate the transport of the school materials to their destinations and to make sure that books reach the teachers and pupils in time", he said.
However, he admitted that there is a problem in reaching some localities, where roads have become impassable because of torrential rains and the subsequent flooding.
Tauzane said that there are about 120 schools in six provinces that have been inundated, affecting more than 50,000 pupils. These schools are mostly in Sofala, Zambezia, Manica, and Tete provinces in the centre of the country, but the northern province of Niassa, and Inhambane in the south have also been affected.
Tauzane said that, to minimise the effects of these adversities, the education authorities are providing tents in which classes can be held for children in the resettlement areas established for the flood victims.
It is not yet known how many such tents will be needed. A study is underway to determine the number of pupils who will require such services.
DINAME is hoping to distribute about 14 million books this year, valued at 14 million US dollars.
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