The directive on the online registration of textbooks for the next academic year (starts September 23) has come into effect, said Mehdi Afsarian, director of the Education Ministry’s Book Distribution Unit in Khorasan Razavi Province.
The plan was enforced on June 22 in Khorasan Razavi and covers pre-university textbooks in all provinces apart from Tehran, where primary grade textbooks are also included.
With enforcement of the directive, the concern over textbooks will become unfounded as students get familiar with the process of ordering online. The black market in textbooks will also be checked as funds will be deposited directly in accounts of book suppliers, reports ISNA.
If the plan is successful, academic textbooks for all grades will be distributed electronically next year, he added.
The registration will take place in four phases. The first which has already started, ends July 22.The second commences on September 11 until October 2; the third is from October 12-22 followed by the fourth from January 4 to 16. The third and fourth phases are assigned to non-students or school dropouts.
Textbooks for high school students and vocational schools will be published in two editions, one at subsidized rates (as directed by the government) for students and the second, free of cost, for non-students or those who have quit school.
PDF files of all textbooks published since 2002 are uploaded on the Education Ministry’s website; www.chap.sch.ir
Afsarian also pointed to the 20% price increase in all school texts in the next academic year. All textbooks are ready to be released, except for the 5th and 9th grades, that are coming out in new edition, causing delay in distribution, he added.
In addition, along with the textbooks, auxiliary educational CDs, films and software will be provided.
