To complete the information that yesterday we provided you anticipating that this year the 'back to school' will be more expensive, today I tell you that the OCU has calculated an average cost of 640 euros per child for expenses associated with the restart of classes. The figure is reduced to 510 euros in public schools and amounts to 917 in concerted
Monthly fees, uniform, books, school canteen and other concepts They are part of the family budget item dedicated to the return to school. Some of us are already anticipating purchases to avoid the acquisition of school supplies after the VAT increase, but for many families this September will be really complicated given the economic situation they are going through.
The calculation of the OCU has been carried out taking into account:
- Enrollment and monthly fees: Although in public schools the cost is zero, in concerted education the thing changes. It is usual that there is an initial annual contribution in addition to the first monthly installment.
These fees, although they should not be mandatory, are assumed by the parents. The average is 83 euros, but can reach up to 315 euros
School canteens: they will be affected by the VAT increase, until reaching an average amount of 99 euros per month. In public schools it will be reduced to 89 and in concerted schools it will be raised to 122. The OCU hopes that the proposal of some education departments to allow schoolchildren to bring food from home will be clarified, an option that could ease the budget of many households.
School transportation: Children who have to travel because their school is far from home must pay an average cost of 88 euros per month. The route option is almost non-existent in public schools
I want to make a contribution: the route in the public school is used in rural or semi-rural areas, however from this course the cuts in education will also affect the withdrawal of buses that do not carry a minimum of students, so there will be many families that will have to manage differently so that secondary school children arrive at the Institute, or children living in villages without school can attend their classes in municipalities that are sometimes 15 kilometers (or more)
- Uniform: its cost varies a lot and in public schools it is still little used. The average cost rises to 216 euros. At this point the OCU denounces the lack of competition that exists in this market. 30% of schools sell these garments directly and another 53% offer their sale to a single establishment, severely limiting the ability of parents to choose and, therefore, the possible savings of families.
Buying these garments before September, parents can avoid the VAT increase to 21%
books: its amount varies from one school to another, and parents can get savings depending on the establishment where they are purchased. The average cost for an elementary student is 215 euros.
School supplies: unfortunate protagonist due to the reclassification of many of the products (modeling clay, tempera, cardstocks ...), thus passing from 4% VAT to 21%. The average expenditure on school supplies will be 124 euros (14 euros increase due to VAT).
Other concepts: as for example the "morning reception" - a service that has an average cost of 37 euros per month but that can be shot up to 87 in a concerted school - or "extracurricular activities", whose average cost is 20 euros per month , although its beginning is usually delayed to the month of September.
I am very afraid that this year to trace the dreaded 'September slope', we must be in a very good way 'economic', and with the times, it would not surprise me that many families fear staying in the first stage of the climb.
