Vol. 512 No. 5
125 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will introduce a book rental scheme for all schools by arranging for the agreement on an approved book list for which money would be available from his Department. [26513/99]
A consultancy report, which was submitted to my Department in 1993, dealt with the factors which contribute to the cost of school textbooks. The main conclusion of the report was that book rental schemes are the most practical way of limiting the cost of schoolbooks to parents.
The report, copies of which were sent to all schools, contains a number of useful suggestions, including a code of good practice for successful operation of book rental schemes. My Department endorses the recommendations and urges school authorities to put in place book rental schemes to the greatest extent possible.
My Department operates a grant scheme towards the cost of providing school textbooks for needy pupils in primary and post-primary schools. For the purposes of these grants, a needy pupil is a pupil from a family where there is genuine hardship because of unemployment, prolonged illness of a parent, large family size with inadequate means, single parenthood, or other family circumstances, such as substance misuse, which would indicate a similar degree of financial hardship.
Special grants are provided to schools at second level, which are categorised as disadvantaged, to assist them in the establishment of book loan-rental schemes. At primary level schools that opt for book rental schemes are allocated enhanced grants to encourage schools to participate in such schemes.
School textbooks are not approved or prescribed by my Department at first or second level, apart from a small number of prescribed texts at second level, mainly in the case of language subjects. Decisions as to which books to use are taken at school level. School authorities have been advised regularly that textbooks should be changed only to the extent that is absolutely necessary. Syllabus planners are conscious of the need to avoid over frequent changes, primarily in order to minimise increases in the cost burden for parents. Textbooks require to be changed periodically, however, to enable teachers to keep their own and their students' work educationally stimulating and to ensure that content and methodology are kept up to date.
In the circumstances, I do not propose to introduce a system of approved book lists at either first or second levels. However, I will continue to urge all schools to put in place book rental schemes to the greatest extent possible.
In addition, I have recently announced the allocation of approximately £3.7 million to primary and £2.8 million to second level schools to assist them with the development of their library resource materials. A circular on this matter has been issued to schools by my Department.
