Suppliers question Education Ministry's school textbook procurement process

Teacher’s pet? The Ministry of Education picks and chooses who can bid for $30 million in school maths contracts. (Image: NZME)

Garth Bray

Fri, 27 Sep 2024

A $30 million process that has apparently sidestepped government procurement guidelines has suppliers of school mathematics texts and resources fearful they’ll be shut out of the market by fully subsidised competitors. Schools currently pay for maths textbooks from their operations grant, but that will change when resources are fully funded directly by the ministry for the next two years. The catch is, only four or five products will be free and there are many more on the market. “The principal at a school I was just at sa...

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