According to the tender announced by the Ministry of Education, a total of 42 thousand manuals will be printed for 500 thousand pupils.

In the list presented to the publishing house there is only one textbook for the first graders. Large-scale reduction in the number of textbooks will cost 2 million GEL instead of 16 million.

Education Minister confirmed saving money at the expense of textbooks , but said that this decision was taken due to the high quality of books printed last year.

According to Tamar Sanikidze, seconf hand textbooks are fit for usage .

According to specialists, the inventory of books should be completed in two weeksafter the end of the semester; accordingly, as the experts say, the quality and the number of damaged textbooks is not known at this time.

The minister said that next year the new books will be distributed in the first and sixth class, and this year"s savings will be spent on the quality.