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■若書商壟斷教科書出版的情況不變，即使全部實現教材分拆，亦難以寄望書商大幅減價。資料圖片
教材分拆問題擾攘2年仍未能解決，教育局局長孫明揚上月底向書商發出「最後通牒」，明年須全面落實分拆措施，假若書商仍「一拖再拖」，即引入招標措施，包括考慮加入大學出書等競爭對手。其實，如果書商壟斷教科書出版的情況不變，即使全部實現教材分拆，亦難以寄望書商大幅減價。當局應參考其他國家或地區的經驗，由教育局自行編製教材，好處是當局已擁有龐大的人力物力，編製教材並不困難，而且能夠以較低廉價格售予學生，紓緩基層家庭的買書壓力。當局應利用這一年積極準備，不要被書商牽著鼻子走。
資料顯示，中小學教科書自2004年開始年年漲價，7年來累積漲幅已達每年24%，但同期通脹卻只有8%，反映書商為了賺取利潤，罔顧社會責任。當局提出的分拆教材措施本應在去年落實，但書商卻以解決版權等問題為由，延至今年9月，現在又提出三年分拆建議，根本是有意拖延。
教科書是學生的必需品，不宜將編製及定價都交由市場決定。在不少國家或地區如內地和新加坡，教科書的編製都是由政府辦理，既確保課本質素符合要求，亦避免教科書成為商人奇貨可居的商品。教育局有多年評審教科書的經驗，轄下有不少官校教師，教材資源豐富，絕對有能力自行編製教材，當局應及早研究準備。
De-bundling teaching materials is only a relief; government publication is the cure
De-bundling teaching materials has arisen as an issue for more than two years and yet no resolution has been reached. At the end of last month, the Secretary for Education Michael Suen sent an ultimatum to textbook publishers demanding them to fully comply with the de-bundling measure in the coming year. If the publishers are to further delay the implementation of de-bundling, the government will introduce a tendering system in which bringing in competitors like university presses will be considered. In fact, if the monopoly on textbooks enjoyed by these publishers remains unchanged, even when the teaching materials are fully de-bundled, it is unlikely that the publishers will substantially lower the prices of textbooks. The authorities should learn from the experience of other countries or regions and consider the possibility of the Education Bureau producing teaching materials by itself. The advantages are that the government, having abundant human and material resources, will not possibly encounter much difficulty in producing materials, and that the Bureau can sell the materials to students at a lower price to ease the financial burden of underprivileged families on buying textbooks. The authorities should use the year ahead to make active preparations instead of messing around with the publishers.
According to data, the prices of textbooks for primary and secondary education have been rising every year since 2004. An aggregate increase of 24% per annum has been recorded for these past seven years whereas the inflation rate for the same period was only 8%. This shows that textbook publishers care about only making money but not their social responsibility. The de-bundling measure introduced by the government should have been enforced last year but the publishers postponed the implementation to September this year on the pretext of having to resolve problems like copyright. Now, they have further suggested that the de-bundling should be carried out in a period of three years. This is in essence a delaying tactic.
Textbooks are a necessity for students; textbook production and pricing should not be decided solely by market mechanism. In a number of countries and regions, like the mainland and Singapore, the production of textbooks is handled by the government. This ensures that textbooks are in compliance with quality requirements and prevents textbooks from becoming a market commodity manipulated by businessmen. The Education Bureau has many years of experience in textbook assessment and it also has in its jurisdiction a strong team of teachers working in government schools as well as rich resources of teaching materials. The bureau has in no doubt the ability to produce its own teaching materials; therefore the authorities should seriously study this option and make preparations in advance. ■Translation by 開明 chi.ming818@gmail.com
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