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The price of new textbooks is 2, 3 times higher: Why and what solution to lower the price?

Price textbook New height creates more burden for difficult families

In these days, the students are on summer vacation to prepare for a new school year. But this is also the time when many parents start to pay attention and even worry about the expenses at the beginning of the school year, which is the money to buy books first.

Public opinion in recent days has mentioned a lot about the information that the price of new textbooks in some classes is 2 or even 3 times higher than this current set of books. The price difference ranges from a few tens of thousands to no more than 200,000 VND per set. However, this is an essential product and has an impact on the majority of people.

Currently, there are 3 sets of textbooks compiled according to the new general education program, including the textbook “Kite” of the Vietnam Education Equipment Publishing Investment Joint Stock Company Vietpic, the textbook set Faculty of “Connecting knowledge to life” and the book series “Creative Horizons” of Vietnam Education Publishing House.

The set of textbooks “Kite” has the highest selling price in all classes, in which the 3rd grade set without foreign language books is priced at 220,000 VND/set. The set “Connecting knowledge to life” is 183,000 VND/set. The set of “Creative Horizons” is priced at 178,000 VND/set.

The price of new textbooks is 2, 3 times higher: Why and what solution to lower the price?  - Photo 1.

If the average selling price of each new book is calculated, the current grade 3 is 9,700 VND/book. The set “Kite” has the highest price among new book sets, averaging 18,300 VND/book, nearly double. The average price of each book of the other two sets is also higher than the current selling price. The same goes for 7th and 10th grade books.

The price of new textbooks is 2, 3 times higher: Why and what solution to lower the price?  - Photo 2.

After 2 years of the epidemic, the life of workers is still difficult. Overtime is less, income decreases, textbook fees increase, tuition fees increase, which is a “burden” for difficult working families.

Regarding the reason for the price increase of textbooks, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong explained in the Events and Comments program: “The Ministry of Education and Training greatly shares with families and parents studying Students in difficult circumstances are directly affected by the fact that new textbooks cost more than old ones.I affirm that new textbooks are higher, not higher. promulgated Resolution 88 on the policy of socializing the compilation of textbooks with the requirement of having multiple sets of textbooks for a subject, encouraging organizations and individuals to compile textbooks according to the curriculum. general education approved by the Ministry of Education and Training”. Accordingly, the financial mechanism of the new textbooks is different from the old ones. The old set of textbooks from 2006 are fully subsidized by the state from compilation, author payment, training, printing and distribution.

The new set of textbooks, according to the 2018 General Education Program, are socialized because publishers and businesses spend money to perform all stages from compiling, purchasing input materials, and paying royalties.

In addition, because many publishers compile, print, and publish textbooks, the output of each book is reduced by each publisher, contributing to an increase in costs.

In addition, the expenses that were previously unavailable, such as advertising, training or bank loans, now have to be spent by publishers and businesses.

The assessment and explanation of the Ministry of Education and Training is quite convincing, however, Ms. Nguyen Thi Viet Nga, member of the National Assembly’s Committee on Culture and Education, said that the new textbooks cost more than textbooks. The old faculty, even much higher in the present time, does not seem to be the consensus of the majority of the people.

“In the past two years, the lives of the majority of people have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Before that heavy impact, the Government has also had a lot of policies to support people. When people’s lives are still very difficult due to epidemics and epidemics still contain very complicated risks, the increase in textbook prices in the present time creates more the burden on families with children going to school, especially families with many children going to school, poor households, families in remote and extremely difficult areas. Therefore, the public is very interested in this issue,” said Ms. Nga.

What is the solution to the inadequacies of textbook prices?

Textbooks are essential goods that any family with children going to school must buy. How to balance the interests of producers, traders and users of textbooks? So how to manage textbook prices? when the characteristics as well as the process of compiling new textbooks have completely changed.

There are many differences between existing textbooks and new textbooks.

In terms of form, current textbooks have small paper sizes and are printed in 2 colors. The new book is larger in size, the type of paper is thicker, the book is printed in 4 colors, approaching the design of modern textbooks.

The price of new textbooks is 2, 3 times higher: Why and what solution to lower the price?  - Photo 3.

New textbooks are larger in size, thicker paper types, 4-color printed books, approaching the modern textbook design

Regarding the process, the current textbooks were compiled 20 years ago. The cost of compiling and organizing the manuscript is paid by the state budget, so the selling price is only based on printing and distribution costs. As for new textbooks, the book-making units are responsible for the entire process from organizing compilation, sending for evaluation, printing, and distribution, so production costs will be higher.

Economic expert Vu Dinh Anh said that, if the textbook ceiling price is to be determined, it is necessary to fully and accurately reflect the production costs of enterprises, taking into account a reasonable profit level so that they have the conditions and motivation. Build quality textbooks. When there is a fluctuation in price, it is necessary to adjust up – down accordingly.

At the same time, the state should take measures to subsidize the price of textbooks for the poor and near-poor families in society.

In addition, some experts also suggested that supporting textbooks for localities in difficult areas can be done through the school library system, so that students with difficult circumstances can rent or borrow them. annual book.

Before the shortcomings related to the price of textbooks, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong pointed out many solutions that have been and are being implemented. Accordingly, the Ministry of Education and Training promptly revised and promulgated a Circular on the process and standards for compiling and editing textbooks.

“Although there are standards for books according to regulations, because textbooks are a special type of goods and educational equipment, in the coming time, the Ministry will assign agencies to research and consider to advise the Board of Directors. issue a circular stipulating the standards of textbooks” – emphasized the Deputy Minister of Education and Training.

With publishers. The Ministry of Education and Training has issued many documents, requesting cost savings, minimizing textbook costs, implementing social security policies, and providing support for remote and isolated areas. ethnic minority. For Vietnam Education Publishing House, which is an agency directly under the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry has directed to reorganize the apparatus and streamline the staff in the direction of increasing effectiveness and efficiency. The cost from compilation, printing, and procurement of materials to ensure publicity and transparency, and to pilot the distribution of both traditional and online books to reduce costs.

“With the drastic direction of the Ministry as well as the implementation of the Vietnam Education Publishing House, in the past time, the book sets of the Vietnam Education Publishing House are 10-20% lower than that of other publishers. other publications”, affirmed Mr. Pham Ngoc Thuong.

In addition, the policies of the Party and State have provided support for students with difficult circumstances, students in extremely difficult areas, remote areas, ethnic minorities. … a monthly support of 150,000 VND for the purchase of textbooks and learning equipment for 9 months.

The Ministry has also issued circulars and decisions requiring schools and departments of education and training to direct schools to build libraries and provide textbooks in libraries so that students can borrow and use them. with the requirement that all students come to school with books to study.

An investment in education is an investment in the future. Every family with children going to school also wants and makes efforts for their children to have the best learning conditions and learning environment in the best way.

The cost of several hundred thousand dong for a new set of textbooks is not a problem for those who can afford it. But for families with difficult circumstances, it is a burden.

With the expectation that all students will have the opportunity to access knowledge in the closest and most convenient way, doubts and inadequacies will soon be resolved.

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