• Structural & operational issues include overproduction & wastage, lack of proper stock mgt., erroneous inventory data mgt. system/processes, & procurement delays
• Inefficiencies in initiatives on supplementary learning materials & digital resources, a severely understaffed & under-resourced Braille press, & poor mgt. of & security risks concerning storage warehouse complexes, found 
• Recommends computerised stock mgt. system, reusing textbooks, streamlining procurement & distribution processes, & recruiting staff for Braille press & upgrading equipment 

The Educational Publications Department plays a critical role in Sri Lanka’s free education policy by ensuring that all government and semi-government school students have access to essential textbooks and learning materials. Established in 1965 and reorganised under the Ministry of Education in 1966, the Department has long been responsible for producing and distributing textbooks to schools. However, a recently conducted audit by the Auditor General's Department has revealed significant inefficiencies and shortcomings within the Department’s operations, raising concerns about its ability to fulfil this vital role.

The audit, which evaluated the performance of the Department in printing and distributing textbooks, was commissioned due to long-standing concerns over delays, wastage, and resource mismanagement. The primary objective of the audit was to assess whether the Department’s processes were in line with its responsibilities, particularly in terms of ensuring that students receive textbooks on time and that public funds are used efficiently. The findings of the audit revealed a series of structural and operational failures that have hindered the Department’s ability to meet its mandate effectively.

Overproduction and wastage

One of the key issues highlighted by the audit was the Department’s inability to accurately estimate the number of textbooks required each year, leading to substantial overproduction and wastage. According to the audit report, in 2021 alone, 3,422,642 copies of textbooks, worth Rs. 309,626,625, were left undistributed and could have been reused in schools. This represented 34% of the total cost of printing textbooks for Grades Six to Nine. “The Department failed to account for the books left over in schools and distribution centres when deciding on the printing order for 2021,” the report stated, pointing to the lack of proper stock management and data gathering systems. This pattern of overproduction has continued over the years, with the audit revealing that in 2022, 494,428 textbooks valued at Rs. 140,439,113 had been sitting idle in warehouses for up to 12 years. “These stocks of textbooks were not considered when printing additional books,” the audit noted, revealing the mismanagement of resources within the Department.

Stock mgt. & procurement failures

The audit also uncovered critical failures in stock management, particularly in the way that the Department tracks and records its inventory. The Department was found to be working with outdated and inaccurate data when deciding how many textbooks to print each year. According to the audit, there was a significant discrepancy between the textbook balances recorded in various warehouses and the actual number of books available in 2021. “The Department relied on incorrect stock balances from previous years, leading to overproduction and wastage,” the audit found, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the Department's internal data management processes. Further complicating the issue, the audit reported that procurement delays were common, leading to textbooks being printed and distributed late. In 2022, for example, the Department printed 32,831,750 textbooks, but only managed to distribute 22,082,941 by the end of the school term. “A total of 67% of the total textbooks printed were distributed after the school year had already started, depriving students of timely access to learning materials,” the report said.

Supplementary materials & digital learning

While the Department’s primary focus is on textbook distribution, it has also expanded into providing supplementary learning materials and digital resources. However, the audit revealed that the Department has been equally ineffective in managing these initiatives. The Department was found to have invested Rs. 27,007,620 in 2021 and an additional Rs. 25,473,288 in 2022 to produce 551 digital learning videos for its e-thaksalawa platform. Despite these significant investments, the audit found that the average number of views for these videos was as low as 150 in many cases. “The Department continued to invest in digital learning without addressing the low engagement rates or considering the limited impact of these resources,” the report stated. Workshops held under the General Education Modernisation Project (GEMP) were also found to be unproductive. The audit revealed that Rs. 1,089,546 was spent on workshops aimed at selecting children’s books for publication in 2019, but that none of the 64 manuscripts reviewed were deemed suitable for printing. “The Department incurred significant costs on these workshops without achieving any tangible results,” the audit pointed out.

Braille press: A system in crisis

One of the most concerning findings of the audit was the state of the Department's Braille press, which is responsible for producing textbooks for visually impaired students. The Braille press, according to the audit, is severely understaffed and under-resourced. “There is only one senior printing machine operator working at the Braille press, with no plans in place to recruit or train additional staff,” the report warned, noting that the sole operator is expected to retire in 2029, leaving the press without any skilled personnel. Additionally, two out of the four Braille printers at the press are frequently out of order, further limiting its ability to meet the demand. “Last year (in 2023), only 53% of the requested Braille textbooks were distributed by mid-July, leaving many visually impaired students without essential learning materials,” the audit found.

Poor mgt. & security risks

The audit also raised concerns about the management and security of the book store complexes, particularly the one in Pitipana, Homagama, the central warehouse for the Department’s textbook stocks. The complex, which consists of three separate warehouses (A, B, and C), lacks basic security measures. “There is no perimeter fence or closed circuit television camera system in place to protect the stored textbooks,” the audit reported, pointing to the risk of theft or vandalism. Inside the warehouses, the audit found that thousands of supplementary books had been left to deteriorate due to poor storage conditions. “Termite damage and discolouration were observed in many of the books, and the lack of proper ventilation and lighting has allowed birds to enter and further damage the stock,” the report noted. The audit also pointed out that the Department does not have a computerised inventory system in place, making it difficult to track stock levels and leading to further inefficiencies in textbook distribution.

Why the audit was conducted

The report added that the need for the audit arose from increasing concerns about the Department's inefficiencies in fulfilling its core mandate. As the Government Department responsible for printing and distributing free textbooks to schoolchildren, any delays or mismanagement in the Department’s processes have far-reaching consequences. The audit was initiated to examine the effectiveness of the Department's textbook printing and distribution systems, assess the financial management of public funds, and identify areas that require urgent reform. Additionally, it added that the Government was concerned that the Department’s shortcomings were undermining the free education system’s goals. With textbooks playing a central role in student learning, timely access to quality materials is crucial for educational outcomes.

Recommendations for Improvement

The audit made several key recommendations aimed at addressing the issues uncovered during the investigation. First, the Department must improve its data collection and management processes. “The department needs to establish a computerised stock management system to accurately track textbook inventories and ensure that future printing orders are based on real time data,” the report recommended. Another recommendation was the need to encourage schools to reuse textbooks, particularly for Grades Six to Nine. “Encouraging the reuse of textbooks will help reduce the demand for new books and conserve public resources,” the audit suggested. The Department was recommended to work with school principals to ensure that reusable textbooks are returned and redistributed each year.

In terms of procurement and distribution, the audit called for the Department to streamline its processes. “Procurement activities should be initiated earlier, and textbooks should be distributed to schools before the start of the first school term,” the report urged, emphasising the importance of minimising delays and ensuring that students receive their textbooks on time. The audit recommended immediate action to address the staffing and equipment shortages at the Braille press. “The Department must recruit and train additional staff for the Braille press and upgrade the existing equipment to ensure that it can meet the demand for Braille textbooks,” The report further recommended to take action to call for explanations from officers who should be responsible for incurring expenditure without a proper plan under the GEMP, and to maintain stocks in a proper way, following systems for the safety of books, creating sufficient storing facilities in the relevant centres and recruiting sufficient number of employees.