THE survey shows that 68% of Munster parents find covering the cost of back to school a financial burden compared to the national average of 61%. Over a quarter (27%) say they are getting into debt to cover back to school costs. Of those getting into debt, 39% incur a debt of over €500, higher than the national finding of 21%.
The findings were revealed in the annual Republic of Ireland school-costs survey commissioned by the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) and carried out by i-Reach Insights in May 2021, when 895 parents of school going children were surveyed.
When it comes to funding back to school, 65% of Munster parents said they use their monthly income, with 38% relying on their savings. The number of Munster parents taking out a credit union loan is up 8% to 10%, which is twice the national average at 5%, while 3.5% of parents turn to moneylenders, up from 1% last year.
This year’s survey also revealed that more parents in Munster (69%) shop online for school supplies than in any other part of the country. Better deals and saving money were the main reasons cited by respondents.
National Findings
This year’s survey shows the overall spend on school items is up for both primary and secondary schools. The cost of sending a child to primary school this September is coming in just shy of €1,200 at €1,186, up €63 on last year, while parents of secondary school children can expect to pay an average of €1,491, up from €1,467 last year.
School books once again top the list this year as the most expensive item for parents of secondary school children at €211, up from €196 last year. Extracurricular activities are the top cost for primary school parents at €178, up from €167 last year. Spending on gym gear/sports equipment has increased for both primary school (€77, up €15 from 2020) and secondary school (€121, up €11 from 2020). Significantly, 43% of parents say they will have to deny their children new gym gear, a sharp increase of 16% from 2020.
Impacts of COVID-19 – Home-schooling and Lockdowns
For the second year running, the ILCU survey also looked at the impact and concerns brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 has had a profound impact on families, with 69% of parents in Munster surveyed reporting that the mental health of their household has been affected with 51% agreeing that their child’s physical health has suffered.
30% of Munster parents said the cost of buying of extra food for children at home during lockdown had the biggest financial impact on household budget. 27% of Munster parents reported that expenditure on laptops/tablets to support home-schooling has had an impact on their household finances compared that of parents reported that expenditure on laptops/tablets to support home-schooling.
In contrast to the national average of 35%, 44% of Munster parents said children were more focused on schoolwork with home-schooling. However, 60% felt that their children’s overall education has suffered.
New School Year
As a result of the schools being closed for a number of weeks at the start of the year, 37% of Munster parents think that the school calendar should be adjusted to accommodate for missed time.
While a decision on the rollout of vaccinations to school children is being considered by Government, the survey revealed 72.5% of Munster parents agree vaccinations should be offered to secondary school students with 50% agreeing they should be offered to primary school students.
41% of Munster parents cited their biggest concern about their children returning to school is the impact of a further lockdown, while 38% said they are worried aboutexposure to COVID 19 and the health and safety of children
Commenting on this year’s findings, ILCU Head of Communications, Paul Bailey said “Since we began carrying out our back to school research over six years ago, we have seen a steady increase in the cost of school books and uniforms. It now costs a staggering €1,500 to send one child to secondary school, while the cost for a primary school child is not that much cheaper at nearly €1,200.
For parents with more than one school going child, these costs can place huge financial pressure on a family. Our survey shows that over a quarter of Munster parents go into debt to pay for back to school costs. If parents are unable to pay for back to school from their household income or through their savings, I would encourage them to explore cheaper forms of finance, by talking to their local credit union or bank, rather than using a credit card or going to a moneylender.
For the second year in a row, we asked parents how COVID-19 had impacted their family life. One third of parents found home-schooling and working a struggle, with over two thirds worried about the impact on their children’s overall educational performance. While many parents expect their children to return to school in September, they are concerned about the effect of further lockdowns and their child’s exposure to the COVID virus. Many households incurred extra costs as a result of home-schooling such as buying more food and having to invest in laptops and tablets to support their children’s education. Again, I would encourage parents to talk to their local credit union to see how they can help”.
