asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the hardship caused to many parents because of the necessity to purchase different text books every year; if he will take steps to ensure that text books will suffice for a subject over a period; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Text Books.
19.
I am indeed aware of the financial strain placed on parents and guardians of pupils in the provision of school texts for their children.
So far as primary schools are concerned, the introduction of the new curriculum some years ago necessitated the provision of new texts in many subjects. No change in these texts is anticipated for some years to come. Managers and teachers of national schools are made aware of my Department's view that any unneccessary changing of text books should be avoided in order to save parents undue expenditure.
In the case of second level schools only a small percentage of text books are prescribed by my Department and most of these are repeated in rotation from year to year, generally in a three to four year cycle. Managers and teachers in these schools also are well aware of my Department's view that unprescribed text books should be changed as infrequently as possible.
Question No. 20 postponed.