Free textbooks will be given to first graders in secondary schools, for whom secondary education will become compulsory as of the next school year.
Asked if the granting of free textbooks would last only one year, as had been the case before, PM Sanader said the measures of national population policy had nothing to do with elections, were in line with the state's financial potential and should be implemented by all future governments.
The measures, prepared by the government's Population Policy Council with the aim of stopping negative birth rate trends and supporting families, also include changes to the existing system of financial support envisaging higher maternity allowances, child allowances, and one-off allowances for new-born babies.
The 2007 budget envisages 240 million kuna more for maternity allowances than this year, and 200 million more for child allowances.
The national population policy envisages numerous other measures to help families, such as tax benefits, more flexible working hours, health care and other measures.