Lebanon Ministry of Education clarifies textbook pricing authority

The Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education has clarified its limited authority regarding the pricing of textbooks following increased complaints from families at the start of the academic year.

The Ministry stated that for books produced by local publishing houses and used in private schools, pricing is determined by the Ministry of Economy and Trade in coordination with the School Publishers Syndicate. The Ministry of Education previously acted as an informal mediator to manage costs but lacks legal jurisdiction over these prices.

Regarding imported books used in schools with foreign curricula, the Ministry noted that prices are driven by external factors such as source costs, shipping, customs, and transportation, over which neither the Ministry of Education nor the Ministry of Economy has control. For locally produced books, the Educational Center for Research and Development maintains authority to review content to ensure it aligns with approved curricula and does not incite sectarian strife.