Textbook prices for the next semester are set to rise by an average of 4.2% and 5.2% respectively for the primary and secondary school sectors.
This was indicated in the annual textbook price survey of the Consumer Council, which covered a total of 729 commonly used textbook titles (353 primary and 376 secondary) by 35 publishers.
The extent of the increase was shown to far exceed the average rise of 1.5% in the Composite Consumer Price Index in the preceding 12-month period.
The burdens on parents of primary pupils could have been higher had it not been for a sharp turnaround drop of 16.1% in the subject Music. Otherwise, the four major subjects of Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics and General Studies have jointly accounted for an average increase of 6.1%.
By subject, English Language was found to record the biggest average increase - 8.1% for primary and 9.7% secondary.
While paper and printing costs remained unchanged in the surveyed period, publishers have laid blame on two major factors for the price hike:
First, increased overheads, such as greatly increased staff cost in writing and developing textbooks specially geared for the 3-3-4 new academic structure for senior secondary and higher education. The increase in oil prices was also attributed to raise logistic costs, rents and interests payable to banks. Further, fierce competition drove publishers to provide supporting services to schools such as training to teachers, and development of school-based curriculum learning materials.
Second, a shrinking market, due to a decrease in the number of students along with a low birth rate. Furthermore, schools which launch school-based curriculum are in the practice of providing students with learning materials developed in-house, thus reducing the demand for textbooks.
In response, the Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) opined that any cost spent on developing learning resources other than the textbooks should be accounted for separately - and the materials sold separately - so that the textbook prices can be lowered allowing parents to choose to buy only the absolutely necessary.
The EMB is also of the view that the preparations for the 3-3-4 academic structure and supporting services provided by the publishers to the schools should hardly be taken as a reason for raising the price.
In the course of the survey, the Consumer Council has learned from some schools that price information was not readily provided during the season of choosing textbooks for the coming academic year.
The Council attaches great importance to the availability of timely and sufficient information to consumers or their agents before they could make the right choice. Such information should ideally be available in April every year.
It is understood that the EMB is negotiating with textbook publishers for the early release of price information for the next new academic year in the preceding month of April or May.
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