Free Textbooks
The Andalucian free textbook program will start next term and benefit almost one million students. According to the Department of Education the figure will be 931,730 students; the complete number of students in compulsory education. This means that families with children in the 1st and 2nd year of compulsory education, whether in public or privately funded centres, will not have to pay out for their children’s textbooks.
The education centres have already begun to hand out the “cheques-libro” (Book Vouchers) corresponding to the first and second year, as well as for the rest of the courses whose textbooks need renewing. The centres will have until this coming September to hand out the remaining vouchers. Once received, families can exchange the vouchers in book shops and shopping centres of their choice.
The Free Textbooks program started in 2005 and is designed as a loan system. Therefore the books are actually the property of the Education Board and once the academic term has been finished, they shall remain in the centre where the student has been going to school so that they can be used by other students the following years.
As well as supporting families in Andalucía, the purpose of this program is to teach the student about their obligation to care for their schooling material and keep their books in good condition for their use by other students later on. It aims to build values such as equity (or fairness), joint responsibility and solidarity in the care of both community and private belongings.
SOURCE: infoalhaurinelgrande.com
