By Minahil Makhdoom
ISLAMABAD: The demand of the back to study essential including uniforms, shoes, stationary as well precautionary items like masks and sanitizers has witnessed surge with the reopening of academic institutions in phases after the six-month pandemic lockdown period.
The parents who have welcomed the decision of reopening of the educational institutions are extra cautious about health of their children and ensuring availability of masks and sanitizers for them for safety purposes besides the academic essentials.
A large number of parents accompanied by their children are visiting the relevant stationary, uniform and shoes shops in the federal capital like other cities to buy all the necessary stuff. The parents are also buying masks and sanitizers in bulk for their children keeping in view the risks of increasing COVID-19 cases in the coming days.
Asim Mehmood, a shopkeeper said the increased sale of stationary items, text books, school bags, water bottles and uniforms after reopening of the educational institutions will cover up the loss inflicted during the six month lockdown period.
Majority of the customers were trying to buy all the stuff at a time so that they don’t have to visit the shop again and again keeping in view their safety while some are preferring to buy the most essential things thinking of chances of another wave of the pandemic in Winter season that can led to closure of institutions again, he said.
Aftab Shah, another retailer in Karachi Company said they have deployed more salesmen to deal with the large number of customers visiting the stores. He said that his team is complying with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of Covid-19 through ensuring wearing of masks but the customers avoid maintaining distance now.
“We have also restricted entry of those not wearing face masks†.
The reopening of educational institutions has been welcomed by the parents who were faced with the difficulties during managing online classes for their children especially the younger ones. Shagufta Ahsan, a mother of two children said, although it is a good decision to reopen the school but financially burdened the parents who have to submit the admission fee, purchase the overpriced stationary, textbooks, uniforms and winter accessories too. The private schools are taking full advantage of the situation and even asked the parents to buy the specially designed face mask for the children from their designated shop, she said.
