Biased school book selection

Most of the 532 books that have been selected by an education ministry committee reflect a certain failure to look beyond the party and rise above cronyism. Dozens of the books are little more than political propaganda materials and historical distortion. Almost as troubling, many of the books on the list have been adjudged by impartial observers and educators to be of poor quality or unsuitable for secondary school age children.

Indeed, it is apparent that many of the books have been selected because the writers and publishers are close to the ruling party. Many of them are virtually unknown and have little reputation in the publishing industry. Others, while of good quality, are material-wise too stiff for secondary level school children, but have been included due to the connections of the writers and publishers.

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The first point that we would like to make is that academics should be immune to any kind of meddling and propagandising. Politicisation is to be eschewed because it can breed divisiveness in society, but when it comes to the minds of the young it can really perpetuate such tendencies.

The second point is that it shows a contempt for the needs of children that is the opposite of what we would want our political leaders to show. They make pretty speeches about their commitment to the future, but when the time comes to put money up-front, we see where their priorities lie.

We would like the education ministry to explain to the nation what criteria were used for the selection of the books, and we would appreciate some transparency brought into the project so that we can quantify the benefits that will have accrued to the publishers and writers who have been so fortuitously named.