Almost three-quarters of secondary school parents and just more than half of parents with children in primary school are worried about covering back-to-school costs this year, a new survey from children’s charity Barnardos shows.
The 20th annual school costs research from the charity found that although “some progress has been made in addressing back to school costs, expenses remain high for many”.
On average, primary school parents spent €119 on uniforms and secondary school parents spent €211 this year, with 81 per cent of parents saying their children’s school did not offer an affordable uniform option and 76 per cent expressing the view that their school could do more to reduce the cost of their child’s uniform.
So-called voluntary contributions continue to be problematic with 78 per cent of primary and 80 per cent of secondary parents saying their schools requested a voluntary contribution at the start of the school year, with about two-thirds saying the request “did not feel voluntary”.
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The financial impact hits parents of secondary school parents hardest with only 30 per cent describing the costs they are likely to face in the weeks and months ahead as manageable.
According to the research, 25 per cent of parents with children in secondary school and 18 per cent of primary school parents said they will have to use savings to meet back-to-school costs.
While 21 per cent of secondary and 12 per cent of primary school parents said they will have to take a loan out, or borrow from friends, to meet school costs.
“There is a constant worry of being able to keep up with the basic needs for my son to attend school,” one primary school parent told the charity, while a secondary school parent said the “basic need and right of children shouldn’t be crippling families across the nation in order to care for their educational wellbeing”.
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The children’s charity has called for the establishment of a voluntary contribution code of practice for schools and an increase in capitation rates.
It also wants the free schoolbooks scheme to be extended to all secondary school years and believes the Department of Education should mandate that all schools in Ireland introduce affordable uniform options. In addition, the charity wants the back to school allowance increased by €100, as it was in Budget 2022 and Budget 2023, on a permanent basis.
It is also seeking the creation of a digital educational fund for low-income parents to access tablets and laptops for their children where required.
“The Government has implemented positive reforms over the past two years around school costs, in particular in relation to schoolbooks, and they should be commended for that,” said Barnardos Ireland chief executive Suzanne Connolly.
“However, too many parents are still struggling every summer to cover back-to-school costs, experiencing considerable financial difficulties as a result. Now is the time for the Government to continue introducing more measures to alleviate financial stress on parents, and to compel schools to do more to keep back to school costs at an affordable level.”
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