August 16, 2002
SCHOOL TEXTBOOK SURVEY REVEALS PRICE INCREASE

As much as 190% increase in the cost of some school textbooks is to be observed when compared to the corresponding prices of the same texts last year. This according to the annual school textbook survey conducted by the Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC).

Generally, there has been a percentage increase in a number of textbooks surveyed this year. While some primary texts, namely Fun With Phonics shows a 55% maximum increase; quite a number of secondary texts are showing price increases of more than 20%. The text, Essential Principles Of Business reveals a maximum increase of 190% while Social Studies For The Caribbean With School Based Assessment and To Kill A Mocking Bird shows 75 and 52 percentage increases respectively.

The survey has revealed reduction in prices of a few texts however. Some texts in the subject areas of Geography and physics are showing price reduction of 22% and 5% respectively, while some texts in Literature and Chemistry reveals a reduction of 19% and 3% respectively on their maximum prices.

The Consumer Affairs Commission also noted a number of price differences on some textbooks. A disparity of over $2000 was observed for the 11th edition of the business text Introduction to Management Accounting while several texts showed price differences ranging from one hundred ($100) to a thousand dollars ($1000) depending on where the texts are purchased.

Consumers can save hundreds and in some cases thousand of dollars by shopping around for the best prices. Based on the textbook survey, parents and caregivers can save as much as or more than one thousand dollars on textbooks by shopping around at different stores in the same general area.

The school textbook price survey is conducted to assist parents and other caregivers to plan, budget and manage their back to school expenses by shopping around for the best prices. This year, the CAC widened the scope of its survey to include more textbooks at the primary and secondary levels in all twelve parishes in which bookstores are located.

A total of 101 texts were surveyed at some 57 stores in twelve parishes in English, Mathematics, Business, Computer Science, History, Languages, the Natural Sciences, Home Economics, Agriculture and Social Sciences among others.