Accordingly, free textbooks will be distributed to primary and secondary pupils, as well as learners at institutions following curricula issued by the Ministry of Education and Training. The decree also stipulates free tuition and textbooks for national defence and security education courses at universities and vocational institutions.
A borrow-and-return system will be introduced to enable multiple reuse of textbooks, prioritising maximum use of existing stock and transfers via an inter-school library mechanism before any new purchases are approved. The policy aims to ease pressure on the state budget, protect the environment, reduce waste and improve public asset management.
Free textbooks are those listed by the Minister of Education and Training for nationwide use, together with adapted or alternative learning materials suitable for pupils with disabilities.
At the start of each school year or term, each pupil may borrow one complete set of textbooks corresponding to their class programme, and must return the set to the school library at the end of the year or term.
Pupils transferring schools are required to return any borrowed textbooks to the sending institution before completing transfer procedures.
Local authorities with sufficient budget capacity, or able to mobilise social funding, are encouraged to implement the free textbook policy earlier than 2029–2030. State budget priority will be given to border and island areas, ethnic minority and mountainous regions, and localities facing extreme socio-economic challenges.
