ST GEORGE'S – Opposition Leader Keith Mitchell has criticised a government decision to introduce a programme to provide primary and secondary school students with free textbooks.

Under the programme, which was launched in time for the start of the academic year in September, every student attending school is provided the opportunity to be supplied with four books, courtesy of the government.

Mitchell argued that the money would be better spent to assist less fortunate children attend school instead of applying the measure across the board.

"The poor kids get four books and their parents can't buy the rest. People like me can buy as much books as I want," he said.

"Why give people free school books, when the money can be used, as limited as they are, to help the poor kid who cannot go to school? That is where the money should be spent."

The former prime minister said the three-month old administration should not have embarked on the programme because of the harsh economic times in the country.

"So the government, because it made a statement, knowing that it could not do it, and knowing that it was not the right thing to do financially . . . because it said so before the elections, it feels it has to meet that promise. But I really believe the government should not be giving free school books to people. I think this is unfair and unfortunate," Mitchell argued.

"Now, if you have oil money like Trinidad and Tobago and you have enough money in the system and you can provide free school books as a policy I have no problem with that.

"So, I am not going to say that you should never do it, but I am saying in a time of austerity, you ought not to."

The free school books programme was one of four pre-election campaign promises designed to help ease the cost of living announced by the NDC before the election. (CMC)