CAC Encourages Parents to Invest in Staple Textbooks

The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) encourages parents to invest in staple textbooks, such as dictionaries and atlases, and offers cost-saving tips when these are being purchased for school-aged children.

Speaking at a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’, the CAC’s Director of Research, Racquel White, said while the Ministry of Education and Youth provides textbooks on rental, several of those at the primary level are workbooks which cannot be reused.

Additionally, revisions to texts and accompanying supporting material like CDs, necessitate the annual purchasing of textbooks.

Ms. White encourages parents to invest in staple books on booklists, which are used for multiple years or the entire duration of their children’s period in school.

“There are some books that you definitely will just have to purchase as the revisions are made. But there are some books that remain the same and parents are encouraged to invest in those. There are some books that, based on the Ministry’s requirements, are used from first all the way up to fifth form or, some, from third to fifth form,” Ms. White said.

Examples of these, she shared, are books like dictionaries, atlases and First Aid in English.

For books that a child will no longer use, once he or she has advanced to a higher grade, the Director provided a useful cost-saving tip for parents’ consideration.

“When the child is no longer using [a textbook], you can offer it for sale… but keep it in good condition. Also, we want to encourage parents [to] work in partnership with each other. So, if your child is moving from first to second form [for example], you could share… or exchange a book with another parent whose child is entering first or third form,” Ms. White explained.

For this to be practical, the CAC also encourages children to take care of their textbooks to ensure their longevity.

To compare prices of textbooks before making a purchase, parents may use the CAC’s Consumer Price Enquiry Tool on their website – www.cac.gov.jm.