Libya's Minister of Education, Moussa Al-Megarief, "Was placed in preventative detention pending an investigation into [possible] negligence," as written in a statement by the prosecution service. A number of other ministers have also been called for questioning, including the minister of planning. 

Al-Megarief was arrested Monday as part of an inquiry into a lack of schoolbooks, the prosecution service said.

"The Public Prosecution has launched an inquiry to determine the circumstances around contractual procedures for the printing of textbooks and the reasons for a shortfall," it said.

Under late Libyan leader Muammar Al-Gaddafi, stretching onto today, the Libyan government has enjoyed an allocated budget to print and provide textbooks for free to all students across the country, ready by September, the beginning of the scholastic year. 

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This year, however, the demands have not been met, and this has forced students to make photocopies from just a handful of books per class. 

"I've got three children in primary school and copying each book for several classes costs us hundreds of dinars," said Zakiya Abdelsamad, a secretary at a medical clinic in Tripoli.

In parallel, stationery and office supplies shops have greatly profited from the government's shortfall and have sold photocopied books at very expensive rates. 

Before the minister's arrest, Al-Megarief attributed the delay to complications regarding the unification of Libya's curriculum.

The ministry has also posted the books on its website in PDF format.