English books published in Vietnam by Oxford University Press in cooperation with the local education ministry have been counterfeited, according to an education official.

Illegally printed versions of the original Family & Friends coursebooks and workbooks for elementary school students can now be found in large numbers at bookstores in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, said Nguyen Kim Long, chief of the provincial department’s elementary school division.

The books, a joint initiative between Oxford and the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training, are in use in schools across Lam Dong, Long said.

The educator elaborated that the forged books can be bought for VND80,000 (US$3.8) to VND100,000 ($4.8) per set of coursebook and workbook, while the originals are 20 to 50 percent more expensive.

The fake books are poorly printed, with myriad errors, pale colors, and blurred bar codes, the education chief said.

Provincial educators have reported the illegal publishing to the provincial police. 

In Vietnam, English is officially taught from grade six, with some provinces and cities piloting to teach it in elementary school.