The National Department of Education (NDoE) were in a state of indignation as word reached the department of PNG textbooks being sold illegally in a shop. First Assistant Secretary for Curriculum, Steven Tandale led the foray into Byron Supermarket on Wednesday 29th, May with Police Station Commander for Gordons, Inspector Gabriel Kini, Principal Legal Officer for the department, Dominic Maelin and other members of the NDoE. Several Primary level textbooks and few secondary level textbooks, written, designed, and printed by the NDoE were seized from the shop’s shelves as evidence against the shop owner and taken to Gordons Police Station. The textbooks taken were Arts Teacher Guides (Grades 4 & 5), English Teacher Guides (Grades 6 & 7), Mathematics Teacher Guides (Grade 8, English Textbooks (Grades 3, 4 & 5), Science Teacher Guides (Grades 7 & 8, National Science Textbooks (Grade 5), Social Science Outcomes Student Books (Grades 6, 7 & 8 and Home Economics Book 2 (Grades 9/10). It was also discovered that the NDoE’s ‘Free Issue; Not for Sale’ message printed on the front and back of the textbooks was blotted out from preventing buyers from knowing the initial status of the materials. Tandale spoke with deep concern about the situation stating that such practices were not only against the law, but it was unfair to the students who should be benefitting from the textbooks. “These materials are freely issued by the government of Papua New Guinea, through the Department of Education and printed with the help of JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency).” “They are not for sale but should be distributed to schools in the country for the students benefit – these textbooks are not meant to be sold on the streets or in the shops.” He added that electronic copies of the books were also available on the internet to make them accessible to everyone. Principal Legal Officer for the department, Dominic Maelin expressed the need to track down who exactly is responsible for the textbooks wounding up in shops. “We need to find out how these books not going according to their intended routes.” “We have identified one shop, but need to identify others who are responsible – whether they are teachers in schools or the officers in the education department.” Gordons Police Station Commander, Inspector Gabriel Kini supported both Tandale and Maelin stating that individuals and businesses who are involved in the illegal trading of educational materials must be held accountable for their actions. Approximately 920, 000 textbooks are printed and distributed annually – one copy per child.