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Why do many countries require primary/secondary students to buy school books?

I always wondered this. Here in the US, they're free for all public school students, and they're designed to be used for at least a few years. The only time we ever have to buy our own is in college.

4 Answers

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  • DrIG
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    We are a very wealthy country and our tradition of free public schools goes back to the Northwest Ordinance in the 1780s,

    Many nations are not as wealthy as we are nor do they have the long tradition of free public education.

  • 1 decade ago

    Bad Government.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    what type of books? excersise or jotters? in england the writing books are provided, and so are the text books up until year 11. but then in college and 6th form onwards we mostly work out of folders and off file paper which we have to provide ourselves, but even then the textbooks are provided for.

  • 1 decade ago

    i do not know

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