Secondary school textbook prices have grown by an average of 7.4 percent in Hong Kong, the highest in a decade, with primary school textbooks up 6.6 percent, revealed the Consumer Council on Tuesday.

The Consumer Council of Hong Kong released on Tuesday its annual textbook price survey results covering 419 secondary school and 292 primary school textbooks.

The prices of textbooks for Form 1 to 5 students went up 7.6 percent on average while those of textbooks for Form 6 and 7 students grew 6.4 percent.

The rise covered all subjects except religious studies which remained unchanged, according to the Consumer Council. Integrated science saw the highest average rise of 8.7 percent, followed by mathematics at 8.6 percent.

Of the 292 primary textbooks surveyed, the council found the average price rise for primary textbooks at 6.6 percent, slightly less than last year's 6.8 percent.

Computer literacy textbooks recorded the highest average increase of 8.9 percent, followed by general studies at 8.8 percent.

Of the 24 titles with higher average increases, 16 were in the secondary sector ranging from 9.4 percent to 16.6 percent, and eight in the primary sector ranging from 9.4 percent to 12.5 percent.

Publishers said the hikes are attributable to surging costs in paper, logistics, labor, fuel and rent, along with the Chinese yuan appreciation, the falling student population, and the New Senior Secondary Curriculum's influences.

(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2008)