No longer 3900 UAH: after public outcry over textbook, publisher finds error in calculation
12 June 2025 16:34
The Kharkiv-based Ranok Publishing House has stated that their 8th grade textbook does not actually cost 3900 UAH, as a technical error was made in calculating its cost, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
Earlier, reported that the Institute for the Modernization of Education Content signed contracts for the printing of eighth grade textbooks for a total of UAH 1.06 billion. The most expensive was the textbook of the Ranok publishing house for the course “Ukrainian Language, Ukrainian and Foreign Literature” worth 3900 hryvnias for each of the two parts.
According to the publishing house in its official rebuttal, a mistake was made in the calculation of the printing component for this textbook. Instead of UAH 208.13, they mistakenly indicated UAH 2081.3 for one copy of printing costs.
Corrected cost
“We have checked the documents again. We admit that there was indeed a technical error in the calculation of the printing component. Instead of UAH 208.13, 2081.3 was mistakenly included in the planned calculation. Thus, the total cost of one copy will be UAH 1,933.12,“
– the publisher said.
They emphasize that the price of UAH 1,933.12 still remains high due to the small print run – only 481 copies of each part.
For comparison, the weighted average price for other textbooks this year (excluding the integrated course and foreign languages with audio) is 136 hryvnias and 58 kopecks.
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Explanation of the publishing house
Representatives of the Ranok publishing house explained that the error was technical and would not have gone unnoticed during the reconciliation of accounts with the printing house.
“The final payment process includes reconciliation of actual costs with all contractors. The mistake would not have gone unnoticed when reconciling the invoices issued by the printing house to the publisher and when preparing the actual calculation for paying for the print run. After the textbooks are printed, the actual calculations will be redone,”
– the statement reads.
The company emphasized that it has not yet received a single penny for the printing of these textbooks, as payment is made after the books are fully produced and the actual costing is provided. The publishing house apologized for the technical error, explaining it by the difficult working conditions during the war. Part of the team is working in Kharkiv, where explosions and power outages are constantly occurring.
The publishing house recalled the destruction of the Factor-Druk printing houses in May 2024 and Triada-Pack in March 2025 as a result of Russian strikes. Despite this, the company claims that it is trying to keep prices at the level of last year’s purchases.
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