Head of the Booksellers Association: Private Schools Responsible for High Textbook Prices

Rabat – Hassan Al-Mu’tasim, head of the Booksellers Association in Morocco, sparked controversy over textbook prices, holding private schools accountable for the price hikes. Below are the main points from his statements:

• The increase in prices concerns only textbooks in English and French, and scientific subjects in French that are imported and used in private education.
• Private schools impose specific curricula on parents, contributing to the price increase.
• There are questions about the role of private schools in selecting textbooks, with an implicit suggestion of potential collusion with some publishers.
• Textbooks for public education have not experienced a price increase, thanks to government support.
• Direct support is provided for students from families benefiting from social assistance.
• School supplies such as notebooks and backpacks have not seen an increase; in fact, there are discounts compared to last year.

These statements come amidst growing complaints from parents about the high costs of school entry, especially regarding textbook prices. There seems to be a significant disparity between the public and private sectors in this regard, raising questions about the mechanisms for setting and regulating prices in the private sector.