The Ministry of Education proposes the State to set the price of textbooks
This afternoon, the Ministry of Education and Training said that it had proposed to the Ministry of Finance and the Government to consider and decide to put textbooks on the list of goods that the State determines the maximum price to submit to the National Assembly for decision.
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, on November 28, 2014, the National Assembly issued Resolution No. 88/2014/QH13 on renovation of general education curricula and textbooks. In it, stated: “Implement the socialization of compiling textbooks; there are a number of textbooks for each subject.”; “Encouraging organizations and individuals to compile textbooks on the basis of the general education curriculum”.
At that time, the majority of the National Assembly deputies as well as the public opinion in the society wished to implement the policy of a program of many textbooks, socialization in textbook compilation and creating equal competition among textbooks. , assigning the right to actively choose textbooks for schools (in accordance with international trends).
‘Book prices are affected by market factors’
According to Article 5, Law on Publishing, there are 7 publishers registered to supplement the function of publishing textbooks.
With the implementation of the socialization of compiling textbooks, publishers will be able to participate in printing and distribution… Publishers spend their own money on compiling books, so the prices of books are affected by market factors. According to the Law on Prices, textbook prices are set by enterprises (publishers) themselves, decide on selling prices, take responsibility before law for the correctness and suitability of textbook pricing plans, and declare them. price with the Ministry of Finance before being put on the market; at the same time, fully publicize information on book prices.
The Ministry of Education and Training also said that it has asked publishers to declare prices; review and minimize production costs to reduce textbook prices; support textbooks for students subject to social policies, students in remote, disadvantaged areas, support school libraries to have enough textbooks; widely communicate about textbooks under the new program.
Particularly for Vietnam Education Publishing House, which is a state-owned enterprise managed by the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry has directed this unit to take many measures to reduce costs, reduce costs and selling prices of textbooks. The Ministry of Education and Training confirmed that the prices of new book sets of Vietnam Education Publishing House are often lower than those of other publishing houses.
The Ministry of Education and Training assessed that the implementation of renovation of high school textbooks has attracted a large number of talented intellectuals, teachers and experts; Because of the participation of many publishers, the printing and distribution takes place in a competitive environment in accordance with the 2018 Competition Law. There is no longer a monopoly in textbook publishing as before.
However, the current price declaration mechanism will likely lead to the phenomenon of high and low prices, creating psychological instability for parents and students, while textbooks belong to the group of essential educational materials of Vietnam. pupil; affecting social security, especially people in remote and difficult areas, so the State needs urgent solutions to regulate prices.
Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training has made a written proposal to the Ministry of Finance and the Government to consider and decide to include textbooks on the list of goods that are determined by the maximum price of the State to submit to the National Assembly for decision.
At the group discussion session at the National Assembly this morning (May 25), Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son clearly informed the public that the price of textbooks increased 2-3 times. He cited as an example new books for grades 1, 2, 3, 7, 10, that is, a new compiling system, socializing according to the National Assembly’s policy of socializing many sets of books. These cleaners are compiled with a larger format, better paper, and the process from compilation to introduction, testing, and release is the business that fully takes care of that and declares prices with the Ministry of Finance. The Minister of Education and Training analyzed that the 3rd, 7th grade, 10th grade books like the price of this year’s Education Publishing House are reduced by 10-15% compared to last year’s corresponding new books, while the cost of materials , fuel increased. As for the old sets of books under the 2016 program, the state has spent a lot of money on the stages from compilation, evaluation, to smaller sizes. The price of old books ranges from 50,000-100,000 VND, while the price of new books ranges from 200,000-300,000 VND depending on the type of book. “If compared to the previous book series organized by the state and we say it increased, the comparison is not similar,” the Minister commented. |
Thanh Hung
at Blogtuan.info – Source: vietnamnet.vn – Read the original article here
