The Ghana Book Publishers Association (GPA) is calling for the removal of the book assessment and approval responsibility currently held by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA).
This demand comes amidst allegations of bias and concerns over the regulator’s role in promoting specific publishers.
During a press conference in Accra, GPA President Asare Konadu Yamoah expressed the association’s lack of trust in NaCCA’s ability to function as an independent and transparent regulator.
Yamoah emphasized that NaCCA should focus solely on developing the country’s curriculum and ensuring compliance rather than engaging in activities that favor particular publishers.
The GPA president highlighted instances where NaCCA allegedly assessed and approved works from specific publishers while claiming to have suspended assessments.
This discrepancy, according to Yamoah, undermines the credibility of NaCCA as a regulator.
Furthermore, Yamoah criticized NaCCA’s involvement in marketing textbooks, a role he deemed beyond the scope of a regulatory body.
He pointed out that such actions not only compromised NaCCA’s position but also raised questions about the organization’s commitment to fairness and impartiality.
The association’s discontent extends to the Ministry of Education, which it accuses of imposing a monopoly in the textbook supply chain and failing to pay for textbooks ordered from publishers.
Yamoah questioned the ministry’s motives in commissioning textbooks for the common core program while outstanding payments remained unresolved.
In response to these issues, the GPA announced plans to increase textbook prices by 30 to 40 percent starting in June, citing economic challenges faced by publishers.
Yamoah emphasized the need for dialogue and consultation between the government and businesses to address these concerns and ensure the sustainability of the publishing industry in Ghana.