By Hina Kiyani
ISLAMABAD: With back-to-school essentials in demand amid opening of the educational institutions in the federal capital after summer vacation break, majority of the parents are grappling with the exorbitant prices of all school items. Most of private schools start their new academic session after the summer break when most of parents have to purchase back-to-school essentials for their kids by physically visiting the stationary stores or ordering through online suppliers.
The price of school supplies from glue, color pencils, markers, lunch box, water bottles, geometry boxes, school bags, and cut boxes to textbooks, notebooks, and uniforms has registered a significant increase which made it difficult for families, especially salaried class, to manage the educational expenses.
“I have spent around Rs 20,000 to purchase only the textbooks of my son studying in Grade II while I still have to buy the stationary items and uniform as per the list provided by the school administration”, Shaista Adil, a mother of two children said.
“Although it has become difficult to bear the expenses of my one school-going son who is studying in private school, we have no option left when the government institutions lack facilities and educational standards, she lamented.
Abid Shah, another parent said, “I was surprised to hear the price of the trolley bag which was Rs 12,000 during my visit to the school supplies shop what to talk about the other items”.
Talking to media, he said, “Getting education in a private school has become a luxury keeping in view the increasing fee structure and a long list of stationary and other items they give.
The fee of my son studying in early year class is Rs. 23,000 besides annual charges of Rs 25,000 which is too hard to afford during the prevailing price hike situation”.
Another parent, Farah Hamid said that instead of making things easier for the parents, the private schools provide a long list of stationary items to the parents for buying which are hardly used during the whole year. “Not only the parents have to buy all the stationary themselves but these schools also grab annual charges for stationery too in the name of artwork, overburdening the parents”, she observed.
She urged the concerned authorities to keep check on unusual increase in the prices of school items in the markets and take action against the unjust price hike. Tahir Mehmood, who is associated with the profession of teaching for a long time, said that parents already struggling amid rising inflation and facing a cost of living are forced to pay high prices of essential school items for their kids.
He said that back-to-school shopping is really stressful for them but they have to pay as being parents they consider these items as an essential category in their shopping list. They are making some real sacrifices and leading uncomfortable life in these days due to soaring inflation, high-priced fuel, electricity, and gas. Prices of school items like shoes, uniforms, backpacks and lunch boxes, crayons, markers, notebooks, chart papers, binders, papers, pens, erasers, and pencils have increased substantially due to the prevailing inflation.
When contacted the owner of a prominent book and stationery shop in F-8, he said that the inflation has not only distressed the parents of the school-going kids but every section of life. He said that since our country import paper and the price of paper has increased due to which the prices of textbooks and notebooks have registered a 40 to 45 percent stationery increase this year which is very unusual.
“We cannot less the price of stationery items on our own as we are getting these items on increased prices too. Ultimately, we are left with no option but to shift this burden on the customers”, he said.
