HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe’s education ministry says it is investigating into how school text books donated by the U.N. children’s agency wind up in the hands of bookstores and street vendors.
The United Nations Children’s Fund has supplied 22 million books since late 2010 after a decade of economic meltdown that left many schools without teaching materials. In some schools, scores of pupils shared a single book.
Education Minister David Coltart said Friday culprits behind the theft of books — officially the property of government schools — will be prosecuted.
The books, stamped and identifiable, sell for up to $10 on the street. A main teachers union says teachers may be stealing to make up for poor salaries.
