The Education Ministry has licensed 24 national companies to print school textbooks for the next academic year.
A statement by the ministry said that Minister of Education Mohammed Al-Maqrif convened a meeting with representatives of the concerned companies and the Center for Educational Curricula.
The minister said the step "aims to localize a new industry, support the local sector, and provide job opportunities for young people," stressing the importance for national printing companies to prove their ability to work and achieve.
Minister Al-Maqrif gave the companies until mid-August to deliver the courses to the sub-book stores, noting that any company that fails to meet the deadline will be held accountable.
"Accomplishing the task on time is the challenge," says Al-Maqrif, who confirmed that some foreign companies that the ministry dealt with last year failed to deliver some courses on time.
Last year, the lack of books brought immense challenges for pupils and teachers alike.
Pupils were asked to search for old books or download them online. On the other hand, teachers had to read relevant sections out to their class or write notes on the board.
