Parents beg Ministry of Education to take action as textbooks and syllabuses for children are changing every few years causing financial burden

A growing chorus of frustration is rising from Zimbabwean parents who face the recurring financial burden of replacing constantly changing school textbooks every few years. The latest upheaval, driven by the introduction of the new Heritage-Based Curriculum (HBC), has forced families to purchase entirely new sets of books, rendering previous editions obsolete. This cycle has sparked a major debate about the sustainability and ethics of frequently changing educational materials for subjects with timeless content.

The debate was sparked by a detailed open letter from Rejoice T. Takawira, posted on 16 January 2026, that directly questioned the country’s textbook publishers. Takawira challenged the very notion that books for core subjects need such frequent replacement.

If knowledge itself has not changed, why do books keep expiring? Let’s start with our indigenous languages. In IsiNdebele and ChiShona, children learn: Izaga (Ndebele proverbs) and Tsumo (Shona proverbs). Examples like: “Ikhotha eyikhothayo” and “Dzawira mutswanda”. These proverbs are centuries old. Their meanings have not changed. Their cultural value has not changed. So why does a textbook teaching these become irrelevant?

Takawira extended this argument to fundamental mathematics, stating:

Now let’s talk about Mathematics. Take a simple example: ½ + ⅔ = 7⁄6. This was true decades ago. It was true centuries ago. It will still be true long after today’s curriculum debates. Numbers do not change with policy. Mathematics does not respond to circulars. So why are Mathematics textbooks constantly replaced as if the fundamentals have suddenly changed? What exactly is changing; knowledge or packaging?

A Chorus Of Anger And Financial Despair

The post triggered an avalanche of detailed, frustrated responses from parents across the country, all testifying to the burden of constant change. The financial strain was a universal theme. Sithembiso Mhlaleli laid out the stark maths:

“And these books are so expensive, imagine buying 1 textbook @$15 (approx. R285), and the school requires 6 of them if not 8.”

Parents painted vivid pictures of waste and frustration. Dianah Nyiker commented,

“Haa ma books takazara nawo mu shelf and they were used once tichiti the younger siblings will use them asi zvakazongochinjwa (but they just changed).” Takawira responded, highlighting the hopelessness of the situation: “Now the question is….what will we do with those books…even kums donata hashande..You will be rendering a disservice to the recipient.”

Lynn Evelyn Majongwe shared a specific grievance tied to a major publisher:

“Thank you for raising this, it is really frustrating. You invest in books in an older sibling, younger sibling follows 2 years later it can’t be used. Sunrise books also same.”

The sentiment of being trapped in a futile cycle was echoed by Blessing Rambeni, who lamented the speed of change:

“Grade 6 last year paGrade 7 this year zvatochinjwa hamumbotinyarewo,chenyu kutisvina in everyway possible! (Grade 6 last year and for Grade 7 this year they are already changed, you are not even ashamed, you are squeezing us in every way possible!).”

Professor Torerayi Moyo, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education [Image: Torerayi Moyo]
Allegations Of A “Money Making Scheme” And Poor Quality
Beyond cost, reactions accused the system of being fundamentally corrupt and shoddy. The phrase “money-making scheme” appeared repeatedly. Charmaine Kandiado stated bluntly,

“It’s a money making scheme they no longer care about the quality of education as long as they make money out of it.”

Rutendo Muzenda agreed,

“Chokwadi… ever changing the curriculumn… now we have to buy new text books for siblings in the same house each year…. haaa someone is selfishly making money out of this.”

Tafadzwa Ncube pointed a direct finger, suggesting,

“Ask yourself who are the owners of the publishing companies,and you will get the answers.Who stands to gain most by this exercise…”

Rayche Masotsha theorised about political connections driving the changes:

“Mukanyatsozvitsvagurudza muchaona kuti patori nechigananda chine company inoproducer mabhuku saka chikatongogaya kuita bag chinongoita kuti syllabus ichinjwe (If you research properly you will find that there is a political bigwig who owns a company that produces books, so when they get into power they just change the syllabus).”

Furthermore, parents complained that the books they are forced to buy are often substandard. Lenon Mundeta highlighted, “And poor proofreading. The errors are scary!” to which Takawira replied, “I saw in one book…the errors tjo…. Its embarrassing…”

A Direct Plea For Stability
Facing this constant churn, Takawira’s original letter concluded with a direct appeal to publishers like College Press and the Ministry for responsibility.

We are creating educational waste, not because knowledge is wrong, but because systems are unstable… This is not an attack. It is a call for ethical responsibility, transparency, and dialogue. Knowledge is timeless. Education should not be disposable.

The collective reaction from hundreds of parents now forms a powerful demand: to end the cycle of disposable textbooks and find a stable, sustainable approach to educating Zimbabwe’s children.

iHarare