NSTDA denies it axed textbook deal

The publication of textbooks to the market faces no risk of disruption despite media reports to the contrary, says the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (NSTDA).

It denied media reports that it abruptly terminated a contract with its long-time main publisher of school textbooks, raising the prospect that some books needed by students would not make it to bookshelves on time.

Chukij Limpijamnong, director of the NSTDA, said the reports contain some major factual errors, which may mislead the public about the NSTDA.

The news reports named the Business Organisation of the Office of the Welfare Promotion Commission for Teachers and Educational Personnel (Otep), as the publisher affected by the contract change.

Mr Chukij said the contract had been tweaked, not axed as reported, after Otep last semester failed to meet some production targets.

He said he had sought a meeting on Tuesday with the deputy permanent secretary for education Peera Rattanawijit and Wirakul Aranyanak, an Education Ministry inspector in his capacity as director of the Business Organisation of Otep, over the matter.

At the meeting, Mr Chukij said he stressed to Mr Wirakul that the NSTDA had not dramatically cut the amount of textbook copyrights it gives the organisation.

The organisation was also asked to confirm its intention to accept 70% of textbook copyrights as soon as possible and publish them, so that all are distributed before the 2019 term begins, he said.

In the past semester, the organisation was granted the right to publish and distribute science and mathematics textbooks — accounting for 80% of all school textbooks — while Chulalongkorn University Press was given the right to technology textbooks, he said.

While Chulalongkorn University Press had distributed all textbooks it printed ahead of schedule, complaints were received in the past term about delays in the organisation’s distribution of the textbooks it printed, which affected teaching and learning and attracted publicity at the time, he said.

To curb the risk of further delays, the NSTDA decided to grant 30% of the textbook printing rights to Chulalongkorn University Press this semester, and the rest to the organisation, he said.