Taoyuan mayor announces free textbooks for elementary, junior high students

Taoyuan Mayor Chang San-cheng (張善政) announced that all elementary and junior high school students in Taoyuan will receive free textbooks starting in the 2026 academic year.

The Taoyuan City Government said the policy will cover about 196,000 students across the city. The city government will spend more than NT$600 million (US$19 million) each year to fully cover textbook costs.

Chang said the program is part of a broader education policy that includes free school lunches and a milk program for students. He described it as a step toward making compulsory education truly free by removing hidden costs for families.

He said that although Taiwan law guarantees free compulsory education, parents still need to pay for textbooks and meals. Under the new policy, each student is expected to save between NT$1,500 and NT$1,900 per semester.

Chang added that the city’s financial resources have increased in recent years due to higher central government allocations. He said the city will direct more funding into education and public welfare to create policies that people can directly benefit from.

The city government said the first year of funding will come from the local education development fund. Starting the following year, the cost will be included in the official city budget to ensure long-term support