Rosamélia de Abreu
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - The Ministry of Education began negotiations with publishers for the purchase of more than 50 million textbooks for fundamental and secondary school students. According to the director of Educational Assistance Activities of the National Educational Development Fund (FNDE), Daniel Balaban, the novelty this year is that the purchase of textbooks for the 2006 school year will be accompanied by the Federal Comptroller-General's Office and the Federal Accounting Tribunal.

"The Textbook Program has a large budget, and acquisitions are not made through public bidding. The purchase price is determined through direct negotiations with the publishers, since all the books are chosen by the schools. The negotiation is face-to-face, which is why it is imjportant to make the negotiating process transparent, demonstrating that it is correct and coherent and that the FNDE is buying the books at the fairest prices," the director assures.

The Ministry of Education plans to spend US$ 257.73 million (R$ 600 million) on the purchase and distribution of textbooks for 150 thousand public schools. 31 million students will be benefitted: 24.7 million fundamental school students, who will receive textbooks in Portuguese, mathematics, sciences, history, and geography, and 7 million secondary school students, who will receive textbooks in Portuguese and mathematics.

In addition, 3.6 million literary works will be distributed to school libraries in public schools serving students in the first to fourth grades of fundamental education throughout the country. 16.99 million students will be benefitted. The Ministry of Education began its consultations with the teachers and principals who will indicate the titles of the books to be purchased and distributed by the FNDE.

Translation: David Silberstein