Call for 'responsibility' from textbook publishers
Parents are facing high school book costs because publishers keep issuing new editions of textbooks even though the school syllabus hasn't changed.
That's according to the Teacher's Union of Ireland, which is calling on publishers to review their marketing and sales strategies in light of increased unemployment and lower wages.
It says teachers are forced to use the latest editions, because it's too disruptive and confusing when students in the same class are using different editions of a text book.
“Teachers are reporting with increasing frequency that tactics used by publishing companies are leaving schools with little option but to use the very latest edition of textbooks," TUI President Bernie Ruane said.
“In both Junior and Leaving Certificate cycles, new editions of books are released every other year even when no syllabus change has taken place.
"In many cases content has only been slightly reorganised as opposed to changed. This makes it very difficult for each student in a particular class group to obtain the same version of particular editions.
"The use of multiple editions is clearly detrimental to quality teaching and learning, with teachers losing a significant amount of class time providing clarifications to students.”
