“Rising Back-to-School Costs Challenge Moroccan Families”
Alalam24, With the beginning of the school season, parents and guardians find themselves facing the tangible rise in the cost of school supplies this year
Between acquiring the essential study materials and meeting children’s desires, families seek ways to reduce the increasingly heavy financial burden. For them, September is the month of expenses par excellence, considering the significant and escalating expenses associated with each new school year
According to the latest study conducted by the High Commission for Planning regarding the total expenditure of Moroccan households on their children’s education, just over 6 out of 10 Moroccan households (61.5 percent) have school-going children. Each of these families spent an average of 4,356 Moroccan dirhams on their children’s education at all levels. This represents 4.8 percent of their annual budget
The study, based on national research on income sources conducted between 2019 and 2020, shows that these expenses continue to increase year by year and are even more costly in private education
Furthermore, in addition to textbooks, which have remained stable in price thanks to government support, extracurricular activities, art supplies, and school clothing constitute other significant expenses. Electronic devices and internet connectivity costs have become essential for learners
Faced with this reality, many parents and guardians resort to various methods to reduce the expenses associated with the new school season, given the current economic context
Nora, a mother of two, says, “We took advantage of the summer sales to buy school clothing like shirts and sportswear. We plan to buy books and other school supplies without the children present to avoid unnecessary spending,” emphasizing that used textbooks “might be the best option for us”
On the other hand, Anas B., a bookstore owner in Rabat, highlights that despite the difficult circumstances, he hasn’t noticed a decline in the demand for textbooks because “families have no choice but to purchase them.” He confirms that parents are looking for alternative ways to cut costs
He further notes that the back-to-school period is the most lucrative for publishers and bookstore owners, as “school-related products dominate sales, with the number of transactions in September being more than three times that of any other month in the year”
It’s worth noting that around eight million students enrolled in schools at the start of the academic year. This renewal of the school year brings about discussions on the challenges facing the educational system, including aligning curricula with development needs, language teaching debates, and improving the national offering in vocational training
