Just stop gouging us with costs of schooling
A MOTHER of four who is facing paying more than €2,000 in back-to-school costs has called for generic uniforms to be more widely accepted by schools.
With uniforms costing as much as €200 each, Sinead Crowther, from Co. Meath, made the comments as Barnardos revealed that almost all – 97% – secondary school parents face the huge cost of buying crested uniforms.
That figure drops to 75% for primary school parents. A Department of Education circular last year had required schools to take steps to reduce the costs of uniforms.
Ms Crowther, who has two children in primary school and two in secondary school, said that instead of spending more time with her kids during the summer months, she has to take up extra shifts at work in order to pay for her kids back-to-school costs.
She said: ‘To get the kids back to school at the end of August, it [will be] €1,879 and there is an additional €350 towards the school bus I have to pay in December that brings the total to €2,229. We’re rural, so we have to pay for the bus.’ She said the lack of generic uniforms in her children’s secondary school is ‘one of my biggest problems’, adding that ‘you could get [generic uniforms] in a supermarket or high street shop for much less’.
‘[You pay] €40 or €50 for jumpers, branded tracksuit bottoms and it is mandatory. You don’t want your kids stressed out that they are not going to have what they need, so you are trying to break these costs down every week and take extra shifts in work,’ said Ms Crowther.
For jumpers, trousers, shirts, tracksuit top and bottom Ms Crowther said she could pay up to €189 for one of her children attending secondary school.
As many as 68% of parents of primary and secondary school pupils surveyed by Barnardos said uniform prices have not changed in the last year, while 30% said that they have gone up.
The Barnardos back-to-school costs survey also found that the average cost of a secondary school uniform is €200, with an extra €75 for footwear while primary school parents still will face a bill of €110 for uniforms and €45 for footwear.
The average cost of sending a child back to school is €360 for a senior infant pupil, €380 for a fourth-class pupil, and €765 for a first year pupil.
In response to the survey, the Department of Education said: ‘We issued a circular to all schools to ensure a greater emphasis was put on reducing costs for parents. The circular requires schools to do everything possible to keep costs down for parents, including the use of generic items, sew-on or iron-on crests.’
The spokesman said Education Minister Richard Bruton intends to publish a Bill soon to ensure the ‘keen cost approach will be underpinned by law’.
Barnardos survey found that
‘Extra shifts at work to pay bills’ Minister vows action on cost
more than half of primary school and secondary school parents have experienced an increase in the cost of school books.
Some 21% of secondary school parents and 11% of primary school parents have been forced to borrow money in order to cover school costs while the remainder either delay payment of other bills or take money from savings. In addition, 67% of primary school parents and 71% of secondary school parents said they have been asked to pay a voluntary contribution to the school.
Head of advocacy for Barnardos, June Tinsley, said there has been a greater call for voluntary contributions this year, which shows that the State is not meeting schools’ day-to-day funding needs.
She said ‘The State needs to stop relying on parents to prop up an underfunded education system.’ She said the Government should increase investment in primary education by €103million in the next budget to bring down the costs to parents.
The Department of Education said voluntary contributions are permissible ‘provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition.’
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