Reunion/Free textbooks and Numerisak: the Region wants to relieve the budget of families and the backs of high school students

The measure, financed by Région Réunion to the tune of 3,500,000 euros, replaces the "book voucher". The Numérisak, or digital schoolbag, allows families to finance the purchase of a computer and to pay for the internet connection.

One less chore for the parents of high school students in their back-to-school marathon. The Region Reunion replaces the "book voucher" by a direct allocation to the associations in charge of distributing the school books. Parents will only have to present a school certificate to get the textbooks, between 10 and 12 on average.

For Huguette Bello, President of the Region, it is " a measure of equal opportunity in access to knowledge".

A dozen associations manage the distribution of textbooks

This aid, amounting to 120 euros, offered to some 42,000 high school students, covers the costs incurred by the associations in charge of distributing school books. On average, they invest up to 100,000 euros per level and per year.

These associations are also wondering about their survival in the medium term, with the arrival of digital textbooks, especially since the community that supports them today is at the same time making a digital shift.

The Numérisak: the online schoolbag

For those who don't want to carry around kilos of books, it is now possible to have all the educational resources at your fingertips. In the same approach that aims to ensure equal access to knowledge, the Region is deploying this year the "Numérisak".

The system has two components, one for equipment and the other for Internet access.

• For the purchase of a laptop computer, the Region provides a 350-euro aid in the form of a voucher, granted without means testing.
• The region is also committed to paying up to €240 per year to pay for the Internet connection, which is exclusively for students with a 6th level scholarship.

Each student must fill out an application form and give it to the ARTICE coordinator at his or her school. He will forward the request to the Region Reunion which, after having verified the conditions of eligibility, will issue a NUMÉRISAK voucher.

Source: /la1ere.francetvinfo.fr