China to Cut Price for TextbooksChina will cut the price for textbooks for primary and secondary schools next year to lighten the burden on students' parents, especially those in rural areas.Irregularities in the process of editing, publishing and distribution of textbooks will be checked and unreasonable charges canceled, according to a circular jointly issued Thursday by the State Development Planning Commission and the State Press and Publication Administration. Unified standards for copyright charges will be implemented nationwide, with the charges for textbooks on liberal art and foreign languages set at 4 percent and the charges for other kinds of textbooks at 3 percent. Meanwhile, the discounting rate for textbook distribution and profits from sales will also be reduced, the notice says, adding that the sales profits must be within 9 percent. The circular calls for concrete measures to reduce the cost of textbooks and set their prices in accordance with the new standard. |
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