Bustling textbook market before new school year

A month ago, Ms. Thao visited all the bookstores in the city but was unable to buy some textbooks for her younger brother in the 5th grade. In the 2024-2025 school year, 5th graders will begin using textbooks under the new curriculum. Therefore, Ms. Thao cannot borrow old books from previous years.

"Back in July, when I tried to buy textbooks for 5th grade, I was told they wouldn't be available until August. Today, when I came back, all the books were on display and there was no longer any shortage like before," she said.

Also looking to buy textbooks before the new school year, Ms. Nguyen Quynh An (Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak ) said that she found it very easy to buy books for her children.

"This year my child is starting first grade. Although we could borrow books from the previous year, I want my child to have a new set of textbooks when starting elementary school," she said.

Ms. An added that she only encountered a slight difficulty in finding and purchasing the textbooks for each subject according to the set announced by the school. "There are three sets of textbooks for the subjects. I had to ask the homeroom teacher many times to make sure I bought the right books for my child," she expressed.

This year, students in grades 5, 9, and 12 began using textbooks according to the 2018 General Education Program. Reporters observed at bookstores that textbooks for these grades are readily available in full, with many different sets of books...

The price of individual books ranges from 15,000 to 30,000 VND per volume. If purchased as a set, the price is approximately 200,000 VND.

For 5th grade textbooks, the "Wings of the Kite" series (13 volumes) costs 225,000 VND; the "Connecting Knowledge with Life" series (13 volumes) costs 183,000 VND; and the "Creative Horizons" series (13 volumes) costs 175,000 VND.

Textbooks for grades 5, 9, and 12 are fully available for sale ahead of the 2024-2025 school year. Photo: Anh Duc

Meanwhile, Ms. Vu Thi Hong (Hoang Mai District, Hanoi ) can buy textbooks for her child right at the school for convenience and to save time.

"My child is among the first to study under the new curriculum, and from first grade until now, I've always bought textbooks for my child from the school," she said, adding that she feels very convenient and reassured buying books provided by the school. Because students now use multiple sets of textbooks for different subjects, buying them herself would be very time-consuming and prone to errors. Furthermore, counterfeit and smuggled textbooks are rampant on the market.

Ms. Hong chose to buy a complete set of textbooks and skill-development books for her child. Photo: Provided by a parent.

Regarding pricing, Ms. Hong said that the school sells textbooks at the price printed on the cover. Parents can choose to buy only textbooks for classroom use or purchase the complete set, including skill-development books and practical learning materials.

"The price of textbooks for the new curriculum is higher than the previous ones because the new books have invested more in terms of images and colors. For me, this price is still within my means. However, I think the price of a complete set of books is quite high for some families," she commented.

Source: https://laodong.vn/giao-duc/soi-dong-thi-truong-sach-giao-khoa-truoc-them-nam-hoc-moi-1381981.ldo