Academic booksellers have warned of an “academic tsunami” if the government’s student bursary scheme continues to pay textbook allowances directly to students. Financial pressure on these book stores and stationers has mounted as some are closed or face closure. Sales for the year plummeted by more than R500 million.
Academic book sales declined by as much as 40% compared to last year, after the National Students Financial Aid Scheme policy changed this year from controlled, ring-fenced payments for learning materials to paying the cash to students. The Alliance for Academic Success warned the steep decline could lead to a possible demise of the industry. This comes at a time when the academic curriculum needs quality-assured and expert content that could address decolonisation of education.
“Our concern is money, that the public funds allocated primarily for the purchase of textbooks and other learning materials, is not being spent on textbooks. There are no longer control systems to assess or evaluate student spending on learning material,” the alliance warned.
They were over pricing their books just because they knew we had no choice.....🤭🤭🤭🤭
This industry doesn't need to exist, good riddance. The university can just offer the content in the workbooks.