Course changes raise textbook row

FAMILIES OR STATE MUST PAY FOR NEW BOOKS TO COVER CURRICULUM CHANGES SAY COUNCILS - BOOKS MAY NOT BE READY FOR NEW TERM A DISPUTE over who should pay for secondary school textbooks could add

at least €100 to the cost of going back to school for many families this year. Parents whose children are due to start _lycée_ this September might have to make a contribution to the cost

of the textbooks as a number of regional councils have refused to meet the full cost for the first time. Most regions have paid up to €150 a year to families for _lycée_ textbooks since

2004, either through vouchers or a direct agreement with the schools. However the Association des Régions de France (ARF) said it could not afford to do the same this year because almost all

of the books for the first year of _lycée_ (_seconde_, for 15-year-olds) have been rewritten to account for changes to the curriculum. ARF said requiring brand-new books for every student

in every subject would be a "brutal" shock to the regions' finances, and the state - which is imposing the curriculum change - should contribute. The group estimates that the

books will cost €250 for every student starting _lycée_ this year - whereas typically the region would contribute about €150. Regional budgets are under increasing pressure after the _taxe

professionnelle_ local business tax was scrapped - and the councils are under no legal obligation to pay for the books. Two parents' groups, FCPE and Peep, fear the extra cost that is

not being met by the region will have to be passed on to families. They have asked the Education Ministry to gradually introduce the new textbooks over several years instead of bringing them

all in at once. Education Minister Luc Chatel said he was "very aware of the financial burden" and said the state had measures in place to "ease the pressure" including

the _allocation de rentrée scolaire_ (see link below) and book grants for low-income families. Publishers have also warned that they might not be able to get the books printed by the start

of September, as the curriculum was agreed too late. Mr Chatel said teachers would be given electronic versions of the textbooks if they were not ready in time. RELATED STORY: Apply now for

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