Rabat – Preserving the stability of school textbooks prices remains “a national priority,” Minister of Education Chakib Benmoussa said on Monday, in response to publishers’ desire to revise prices for the next school year.
In a forum organized by the Moroccan News Agency (MAP) under the theme “What roadmap makes for quality in public education?” the minister insisted on the importance of reducing profit margins and production costs.
The government is currently examining textbook publishers’ request to revise prices, he added, taking into account the increase in paper prices and other production costs on the global scale.
Adding that 70% of primary level textbooks are funded by the state as part of the Million Backpacks initiative, Benmoussa stressed that guaranteeing the books’ availability and finding answers for the potential price increase is a priority for the government.
Government Spokesperson Mustapha Baitas had previously stated that the government remains undecided on the price increase, acknowledging that they did receive requests from publishers.
The publishers reportedly want to increase prices by 25% for the 2022-2023 academic year, which could place a burden on parents –especially in disadvantaged families– amid steady price rises for other essential products and commodities.
There were similar increases in book and tuition prices in 2018, which parents heavily protested. School supplies cost families as much as MAD 4,000 ($400) that year, a steep price for the average Moroccan family.
Food products such as grain and oil and fuel like diesel and gasoline have seen a steady increase over the past few months, as global markets remain in crisis mode.
Supply chain disruptions caused by theCOVID-19 crisis, the conflict in Ukraine, and climate change have all contributed to rising prices across the board. Amid the ensuing confusion and panic over skyrocketing market prices, Moroccan citizens and politicians — especially opposition MPs — alike say that the government’s duty is to do everything it can to protect citizens’ purchasing power.
