Back to school supplies strain parents’ pockets

Back to school supplies strain parents’ pockets

By Majd Othman

KUWAIT: With the arrival of the 2023 school year, bookstores are bustling with buyers seeking to fulfill their children’s school supply needs. However, this year, prices have become a point of contention among parents due to significant increases that are straining their financial budgets. This issue affects both public and private school students, with parents expressing their grievances to Kuwait Times. They note that the cost of school supplies has surged by nearly 30 percent, exacerbating the financial strain already felt by families as students return to school following the pandemic.

Mona Ahmad, a parent of two children attending a private Arabic school, revealed she had to allocate an additional 20 percent of her budget to cover her children’s school stationery and uniforms. She attributed this increase to the specific requirements imposed by the school, such as particular types of notebooks and pens. Mona also voiced her belief that bookstores are capitalizing on these mandatory school supplies by raising their prices significantly.

Abeer Mallah, a mother of three children attending a foreign private school, highlighted the challenges parents face due to school policies that effectively mandate the purchase of most school supplies directly from the school, often at higher prices.