Suppliers question Education Ministry's school textbook procurement process

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
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...

More Policy

The cost of over-regulated banking: $10b to $14.4b a year
Finance

The cost of over-regulated banking: $10b to $14.4b a year

Critics claim a huge annual cost from 30 years of regulatory creep.

Pattrick Smellie 16 Apr 2025
Fast-track panels not out of blocks yet
Policy

Fast-track panels not out of blocks yet

The first three projects to go through the process are still waiting on panels.

Oliver Lewis 10 Apr 2025
'The Great Privatisation': a NZ perspective
Economy

'The Great Privatisation': a NZ perspective

KPMG partner sees value in considering asset recycling to fund new infrastructure.

Oliver Lewis 09 Apr 2025
Airfare reporting not ready for takeoff
Policy

Airfare reporting not ready for takeoff

Airport group says transparency measure should have a chilling effect on fares.

Oliver Lewis 09 Apr 2025