There’s less than two weeks left until the new school year starts on Monday, September 8th. Families and companies in Valencia are already getting ready for what is likely to be an expensive return to school, as has been the case in recent years. The Consumers’ Union of the Valencian Community says that school fees will go up by 10 to 15 percent at all levels. The average cost per child will be between 300 and almost 1,000 euros, but this will depend on things like the school year, the type of centre (public, private, or subsidised), and extras like academies or activities outside of school.
“We’re also coming off of a summer when families had to pay more because vacation prices went up,” says Francisco RodrÃguez, secretary of the Consumers’ Union of the Valencian Community. “This could mean a big cost in September.”
A rise in lPC
Some of the most important things that families will need to buy before school starts are school clothes and shoes, as well as backpacks, papers, and pencil cases. “The cheapest backpacks and pencil cases cost 15 euros, and the most expensive ones cost 45 or 50 euros,” says Mauro Lorenzo, president of Unió Gremial and head of the Bookshops and Stationery Association.
She says that the average cost of school materials like pens, markers, notebooks, etc. is between 25 and 30 euros, and the most that each student has to pay is 40 euros. These kinds of items are mostly used in primary school, she says. “We are seeing how the increase in the CPI is already having an impact; we have adjusted the price so that it does not impact families as much, but it has still made the return to school a little more expensive ,” she says. Specifically, she says that after the whole country came together to help the hurricane-hit areas, many schools got donations of school supplies. As a result, they do expect people to spend less in stores in the worst-hit areas.
Even though buying books is usually one of the biggest expenses, the Book Network, which helps schools of all kinds and both public and private, is a huge money saver for families in Valencia. “At Unió Gremial, we are asking that the necessary book replacements be done through the stationery stores in our municipalities and neighbourhoods,” Lorenzo says.
This year, though, the new Law on Educational Freedom goes into effect at the start of the school year. The Confederation of Parent-Teacher Associations of the Valencian Community “Gonzalo Anaya” is worried that this move might cost more than expected. “We know that the Ministry of Education set aside 30 euros per student at first to help schools adapt to the law.” If we’re signed up with the Xarxa de Llibres (Book Network), books should be free. However, not all families could handle this cost in the same situations. “We have another problem when we add all the school supplies to this,” says Rubén Pacheco, head of the group and of Fampa-València. He says that “every year the prices of back-to-school items go up disproportionately.”
Pacheco suggests that schools “include shared materials within their budgetary requirements, so that the regional government could be required to contribute the necessary additional amount for the purchase of these classroom materials.” This would help schools save money.
What they suggested
The Consumers’ Union says that to avoid this “September slope,” people should not get quick loans or credit cards that can be used over and over, should not buy brand-name goods, and should only buy from reputable stores, especially local ones. “Their guarantee is better, their service is better, and they meet our needs better.” When we buy from online stores with low prices, we need to remember that cheaper won’t always mean better. “And cheap can cost a lot,” says RodrÃguez.
In the same way, Mauro Lorenzo says that 65% of the year’s total sales for closely related local businesses (like book stores, stationery stores, etc.) come from the back-to-school season. “We want families to know that they can trust their local office supply store to have all the school supplies their kids need.” “We’ll be there to help you choose the best products at prices that aren’t too different from those you’d find in other places or online,” he says.
RodrÃguez adds that it’s always a good idea to compare prices, but don’t forget about quality. “It’s very important that the materials are safe because they’ll be used by schoolchildren,” she says. Sharing some things with family, friends, or neighbours or reusing things like empty notebooks, pens, or backpacks are also great ways to save a lot of money. Finally, the Consumers’ Union tells people to be careful of possible online fraud. “You have to be very careful with scams, phishing , and providing banking information on untrustworthy websites,” she points out.
Author: Derek Appleton
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