E-textbooks can break monopoly
I refer to the letter by Rachel Ko ('Respect hard work behind textbooks', May 11).
She misinterprets the word 'respect' as allowing publishers to avariciously raise their profits to a level at which most grass-roots families can ill-afford.
I do appreciate the effort made by those conscientious editors who work painstakingly and meticulously to research and up-date teaching materials to ensure students receive a good quality education. However, it does not mean that publishers should shift all costs directly to the public. They should share part of the cost. I don't think that a reasonable drop in the textbook price will deal a great blow to publishing companies.
That the publisher provides free textbooks and other teaching materials to schools should never be a reason for charging high amounts. If that is the case, I strongly recommend, as suggested by the government, the 'user-pays' principle, under which schools can purchase learning materials they deem useful and need not squander resources.
The Hong Kong textbook market is monopolised by a few publishing firms. Yet publishers, who benefit from this situation, arbitrarily set unreasonable prices, and on the pretexts of so-called inflation, recent education reform and research, they are always unwilling to compromise on final prices.
Therefore, I support the idea put forward by Education Secretary Michael Suen Ming-yeung, to introduce e-textbooks to ward off any market monopoly, and to ultimately lower the burden on parents through less spending on textbooks.