e-books the way to slash (大幅削減) cost, says schools chief

The education Bureau is pushing for (鼓催) a new SAR-wide scheme (note 1) in which electronic textbooks will be used in all primary and secondary schools to deflect (減少) the rising cost of printed materials.

 

Secretary for Education Michael Suen Ming-yeung said the current practice of publishers bundling most textbooks for sale (note 2) must change, because it has resulted in surging prices and market distortions (note 3) .

 

The failure of the bureau to persuade (勸服) publishers to sell textbooks separately from teaching resources has made them reluctant to reduce prices.

 

Publisher said they can only debundle half of primary school textbooks. Suen said yesterday: “There are not organized according to the requirements of our curriculum development (學科發展).”

 

He said he will ask that a new e-version be launched next year to meet the criteria of the bureau.

 

The new scheme aims to keep prices down by creating a diversified learning environment and make optimal use of advanced information technology (note 4) in schools.

 

Led by Undersecretary for Education Kenneth Chen Wei-on, the task force (小組) reviewed learning and teaching materials over the past six months. It made key recommendations to facilitate the development of the e-textbook market.

 

The task force noted that since 1998, the government has invested nearly HK$9 billion in implementing three IT strategies (note 5) in education. It has likewise spent another HK$400 million on developing e-learning resources.

 

Suen said incentives (誘因) are being considered to attract new entrants (note 6), such as relevant organizations and professionals, to the market and develop quality and reasonable priced e-texbooks.

 

However, he could not say how much cheaper textbooks will be once the measures are implemented.

 

(note 1) a new SAR-wide scheme=全港推行的計畫

In the scheme of things=在事物發展過程中。

 

(note 2) bundling most textbooks for sale=把教科書和教材一併出售

Bundle=包, 捆, 紥, 束

Bundle of rascals=一群壞蛋

Bundle of problems=一大堆問題

Victor bundles himself up=Victor (用毛衣) 把自己身體裹暖, 穿暖和些

 

(note 3) surging prices and market distortions=書價上升和扭曲市場價格

Bo Bo’s face was distorted with rage=Bo Bo 的臉氣得變了樣

 

(note 4) make optimal use of advanced information technology=把新進資訊科技作最適宜的運用

Optimal 的相反 pessimal=最壞的

 

(note 5) implementing three IT strategies=實施三項資訊科技政策

Strategy and tactics=戰略與戰術

 

(note 6) attract new entrants=吸引新供應商