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The Education Bureau (EDB) provides a range of services including an online guidebook, information on textbook supply and a dedicated hotline enquiry service, to assist parents in purchasing textbooks for the new school year.
A spokesman for the EDB said today (July 18), "A new set of 'A Parent's Guide to Textbook Matters', which has been uploaded onto the bureau's website (www.edb.gov.hk/textbook), will provide parents with tips on textbook purchase and information on the EDB's textbook policy."
"Using a 'questions and answers' format, the Guide explains in detail the textbook issues that parents are most concerned with, such as school textbook lists, textbook revision and prices, and textbook recycling.
"The Guide reminds parents to pay attention to the information on the school textbook lists, including titles, editions, name of publishers, and whether the former edition can still be used. Parents also need not hurry to buy textbooks for the second school term."
"If parents choose to buy second-hand textbooks, they should carefully check the titles, years of publishing and editions of these books. They should also consider whether reference books, such as dictionaries and maps, need to be purchased every year."
The EDB also provides in its website (www.edb.gov.hk/textbook) a search function on "Textbook Supply Information for New School Year" for parents to check the latest information on the availability of textbooks from July to September. If parents encounter difficulty in purchasing textbooks on the school textbook lists, they may use the contact information listed on the website to contact the publishers directly for assistance.
Meanwhile, the EDB also operates the Textbook Information Hotlines on 3698 3578, 3698 3947 or 3698 3946 from 9am to 6pm during weekdays from now until September 30. Parents may also send enquiry emails to the EDB at (textbook@edb.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, July 18, 2013
Issued at HKT 14:30
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