Textbook prices increase by average six per cent

The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) is reporting an average 6 per cent increase in textbook prices this year.

In a release issued Tuesday afternoon, the CAC indicated price and availability data on 133 popular textbooks obtained from 95 retailers.

It says the survey focused on 90 secondary level, 30 primary level and 13 infant level textbooks, covering seventeen subject areas.

Infant School texts increased by an average seven per cent, those for primary schools by an average five per cent and those for grades seven to nine by an average 10 per cent.

Meanwhile, Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced proficiency Examination (CAPE) texts increased by an average 6 per cent.

The CAC points to inflation and depreciation of the Jamaican dollar as factors which influenced the increases.

It also notes that the cost of texts could have been impacted by revisions in content, changes in the materials used during production, location of the outlets and availability.