Textbooks for elementary school and for school are a source of knowledge and a didactical instrument of instruction fostering achievement of educational goals and standards of knowledge set out in the program of education, or the Catalogue of Knowledge.
Textbooks come either alone, or accompanied by a workbook, exercise book (or other tools of instruction irrespective of the medium). It is always accompanied by a methodical teacher’s manual.
In elementary schools and high school, compulsory textbooks approved by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport are being used. Each April a catalogue of textbooks approved for the following year is published, with prices.
To enhance instruction compulsory textbook can be supplemented by optional textbooks and other tools of instruction, which is decided upon by the teacher with the consent of the students’ parents and the entire teaching staff. Optional textbooks cannot substitute obligatory textbooks and handbooks.
Approval of new textbooks is conducted according to the elements and instruments for evaluation of textbook and handbook correspondence with the textbooks standards, and educational programs and goals.
The School Textbooks Board and expert committees for each individual subject or area are in charge of textbooks.