Textbooks in competition: Win-win situation

The socialization of textbooks is a correct policy. However, after 5 years of implementation, textbooks have always attracted public attention, especially in terms of price and quality.

No more monopoly

Since 2020, when the 2018 General Education Program with the regulation of one program, many textbooks was implemented, the textbook market share is no longer the exclusive cake of the Vietnam Education Publishing House. Statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training show that the textbook publishing market share in the period of 2021 - 2023 of the Vietnam Education Publishing House has increased from 100% before implementing socialization to 71.8% now.

Textbooks according to the new program of Vietnam Education Publishing House.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, up to now, there are 7 publishing houses participating in the socialization of textbook compilation, including: Vietnam Education Publishing House, University of Education Publishing House, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education Publishing House, Ho Chi Minh City National University Publishing House, Hue University Publishing House, Vinh University Publishing House, National University Publishing House. In addition, there are 12 companies participating in textbook compilation.

Accordingly, each subject has at least 1 textbook and at most 10 textbooks, meeting the diverse needs of learners.

The Ministry of Education and Training assessed that the policy of socializing the compilation and publication of textbooks has created diversity and abundance in the supply and quality of textbooks, creating conditions for provinces, cities, education management agencies and schools to have more suitable textbook options.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Tung - Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Education Publishing House said that the participation of many publishing houses, organizations and enterprises publishing textbooks is a decisive factor in the success of the policy of socializing education and socializing textbook compilation. Learning materials are rich, with good quality in content and form, contributing effectively to promoting the development of education in the country.

According to Mr. Tung, the policy of socializing textbook compilation is a progressive viewpoint. This breakthrough changes the quality as well as the appearance of Vietnamese education, so it requires determination, perseverance, and overcoming difficulties to implement.

"The curriculum is a static element, while textbooks are understood as dynamic elements. Teachers will choose textbooks that are suitable for the conditions and teaching methods to impart knowledge to students. This is considered a creative openness for teachers and students, which will gradually eliminate the situation of teachers reading and students copying, extra teaching and learning, and piled-up homework," said Mr. Tung.

End the "beer with peanuts" situation

The socialization of textbooks is a correct policy, but after 5 years of implementation, the issue of textbooks has always been a hot topic, causing much controversy. During the implementation of the 2018 General Education Program, new textbooks have revealed many shortcomings from content, supply process to textbook prices.

With the participation of publishers, competition in content quality and form has increased, and textbook prices have also increased significantly. In fact, no textbook set costs more than 300,000 VND, but some places have combined other types of books, leading to a high price increase.

Students look for textbooks at a bookstore. Photo: Hoang Chien.

The story of selling textbooks with "beer and peanuts", wasting reference books for high school students at all levels has been raised by public opinion for many years on many forums, newspapers, and social networks.

Research on the 6th grade textbook set of a secondary school in Tay Ho district (Hanoi) deployed for students of the school this school year shows that, out of 27 titles in this textbook set, there are 10 titles of exercise books with a total value of 555,000 VND.

Compared to old textbooks, a new set of textbooks, including exercise books, reference books and some foreign language books, costs much more. Principal of Quynh Phuong Secondary School (Nghe An) Ho Tuan Anh acknowledged that the current management and distribution of textbooks is not really for the benefit of learners. The waste of textbooks is real. Many families have more financial burdens due to the increase in textbook prices.

According to the direction of the Ministry of Education and Training, publishing units and schools need to stop the situation of publishing textbooks in a "beer and peanuts" style.

In order to avoid waste and ensure long-term use of textbooks, the leader of the Ministry of Education and Training said that in the coming time, they will focus on directing the effective use of textbooks in teaching and learning and their stability.

The Ministry of Education and Training also requested localities to increase their responsibility in selecting, supplying and using textbooks; and have plans to support textbooks for poor students, students in difficult circumstances, in remote areas, and ethnic minorities.

Regarding textbook prices, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Education Publishing House Nguyen Van Tung said that recently, public opinion has said that Vietnam Education Publishing House makes a big profit from textbooks, but in reality, there is profit from textbooks, but the profit is small. The publishing house's profit mainly comes from other types of books such as supplementary books and reference books, which are the types of books that any publishing unit can participate in making.

Although the profit from textbooks is very low, Vietnam Education Publishing House identifies supporting teachers, students and ensuring social security as one of the most important goals. Therefore, from the 2024-2025 school year, the Publishing House has adjusted textbook prices downward.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/sach-giao-khoa-vao-the-canh-tranh-loi-doi-duong-10296694.html