An Ennis assistant principal claims inflationary pressure is putting a strain on parents as the beginning of the school year looms.
It comes as a new survey has found that one in four parents have had to take out a loan to meet back to school costs.
With the summer drawing to a close and the resumption of the school calendar fast approaching, parents are once again feeling the pressure of meeting back to school costs.
Children’s charity Barnardos’ Back To School survey for 2023 has found the average cost of providing the basics needed for a fourth class pupil is €320, while for a first year pupil it is €972, and for a fifth year pupil it is €863.
Parents are evidently feeling the effects of the rising cost-of-living with the survey finding that 24% of secondary school parents have had to take out a loan or borrow in order to meet basic school-related costs for their children.
Assistant Principal of the CBS Primary School in Ennis, Colm Davoren, says no parents are immune to inflationary pressure.
In light of the recent announcement of the Free Primary Schoolbooks Scheme, Barnardos has called for the scheme to be extended to second-level, saying there is a “direct correlation between the introduction of free schoolbooks for primary school students and the reduction in back to school costs”.
Fr Ignatius McCormack of St. Flannan’s College has reminded parents that grants are available through schools to assist with the costs of schoolbooks and uniforms.
The St. Flannan’s principal believes a uniform is a “great leveller” for families of different socio-economic backgrounds.
You can listen to the full interview below.
