Financing Textbooks and Teacher Training Materials

The provision of relevant, good quality, affordable school textbooks is a key educational objective. Yet few children have access to the books they need in order to underpin effective learning. Despite funding agency contributions, free textbook supply from primary through secondary level can be problematic as a long-term solution. At the same time, the costs of learning materials continue to be prohibitive for many parents. This book examines the key issues in funding provision of textbooks and training materials through individual country perspectives from The Gambia, Lesotho, Mozambique and Côte d'Ivoire, and describes the different strategies adopted in order to provide a cost effective, equitable and sustainable book funding system.