When the new school year starts on September 1, primary and secondary school students across China will have access to different versions of textbooks.

   Gone are the days when millions of students used the same  textbooks, year after year.

   In the near future, all eligible education institutions and  presses will be entitled to bid for publishing different versions  of textbooks, so that schools and students will be able to choose  their favorite version, Monday's Beijing Youth Daily quotes a  source from the educational circle as saying.

   The People's Education Press is no more the monopolistic  publisher of primary and secondary school textbooks. Fourteen  piblishing hourses have participated in compiling textbooks for  the forthcoming school year.

   Meanwhile, distribution of the textbooks will also be  diversified. Individuals will be allowed to distribute textbooks,  as long as they guarantee quality and timely delivery.