Education Ministry to Review School Textbook Lists Amid Back-to-School Cost Concerns

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information plans to review school textbook lists to ensure that students are required to purchase only essential, high-quality texts, as concerns grow over rising back-to-school expenses.

Parliamentary Secretary in the ministry, Senator Marlon Morgan, made the announcement while visiting Edward Seaga Primary School in Kingston on Monday to observe activities marking the start of the 2026/27 academic year.

Morgan said the review will include the development of a master list that clearly separates mandatory textbooks from approved supplementary materials.

He said the move is intended to help parents meet academic requirements without placing an excessive financial burden on families.

The Parliamentary Secretary said the ministry has taken note of concerns raised by parents and advocacy groups about lengthy and expensive textbook lists.

He pointed to cases where families make significant sacrifices to purchase prescribed books, only to discover that some are not used during the school year.

Morgan acknowledged that teachers often rely on a range of resources to enhance classroom instruction. However, he said requiring students to purchase five to seven books for a single subject can become financially unsustainable for families.

“The ministry will be taking a serious look at this… concerning issue of book lists. We have listened and we have heard the complaints,” he said, adding that Portfolio Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon is also aware of the concerns.

Morgan said the ministry will work with schools and parents to ensure that required textbooks are clearly prioritised.

“We want to have book lists that clearly set out the mandatory or required texts, and then have other texts that are really supplemental reading or recommended texts which are separate and apart from the mandatory texts,” he explained.