BackThe Ombudsman, Soledad Becerril, has reminded the authorities of the need to implement measures to alleviate the financial burden on families in the school year that begins in September.
When the Organic Law for the Improvement of Educational Quality (LOMCE) comes into force, many of the textbooks for the next school year will have to be new. In the Ombudsman's opinion, collaboration between the various educational authorities should ensure that the books and teaching materials required in compulsory education are completely free for all students.
However, until this objective is achieved, the Ombudsman agrees with other bodies such as the Standing Committee of the National School Council, that cost currently borne by families must be reduced by extending the time for which particular textbooks remain part of the syllabus.
The Ombudsman also suggests that textbooks should be reused and that systems for lending and exchanging educational materials be developed and implemented. She also recommends that the various educational authorities take coordinated action to ensure equal treatment for all students, regardless of where they live.
All these proposals put forward in the study published by the Ombudsman's Office in November 2013 entitled with “Free Textbooks: programmes, grants, loans and reuse”.
Source: Defensor del Pueblo, SPAIN
