The Department of Education, Universities, Culture and Sports will implement the free use of textbooks in the 3rd year of Compulsory Secondary Education (E.S.O.) in the 2009/2010 school year, so only the 4th year of ESO would remain to complete the free education in all compulsory basic education in public schools.
On the other hand, free education will also be implemented in 5th and 6th grade of Primary Education in centers supported with public funds (private-subsidized) that request it. In addition, a total replacement will be carried out in the 5th and 6th grade levels of Primary Education in public schools, following the implementation schedule of the LOE.
The economic endowment destined to this service that will guarantee the free textbooks exceeds 10 million euros, of which 7,846,801 euros are contributed by the Government of the Canary Islands and the rest by the Ministry of Education.
Aid depending on the course
On the other hand, students in 1st and 2nd grade of Primary Education receive books as aid every year because they are mostly workbooks. In the rest of the levels, as the implemented system is a loan system, they are maintained for four courses. However, the Department sends annual aid to the centers, through the director's card, to face the expenses of replacement and repeat students.
In this way, the Department continues with the progressive implementation of free textbooks in the levels of compulsory basic education. This process, which is carried out through an electronic card system that was implemented for the first time in the 2008/2009 school year, is the result of agreements signed by the Government of the Canary Islands with the Caja General de Ahorros de Canarias and the Caja Insular de Ahorros de Canarias and the Associations of Businessmen of the Book Trade of both provinces. This is the first experience in the State of using an electronic system for the purchase of textbooks, whose use by the student works as a loan.
Electronic card
This tool responds to a historical demand of the sector, so that families could acquire the textbooks directly in the bookstores and diversify the points of purchase.
The card is delivered to each family in the center where the student is enrolled and the textbooks acquired are the property of the Department of Education, Universities, Culture and Sports. These cards are distributed during the month of September.
