Parents Hit Out At Steep School Costs

987 parents responding to Barnardos' School Costs Survey 2012 have expressed frustration and anger at the continued high costs of sending children to school, as evidenced by this quote from one parent who completed the survey.

Despite findings that in some cases costs have remained stable or reduced slightly since 2011, parents continue to struggle to meet schools' demands with increasingly stretched household incomes. Now in its 7th year, Barnardos' survey found that on average parents are paying €355 for a child in senior infants, €390 for children in 4th class in primary school and €770 for children going into first year in secondary school. School books and uniforms continue to pose the highest cost to parents, although voluntary contributions and school transport costs also weigh heavily on parents’ budgets.

Barnardos' CEO, Fergus Finlay, said: "Each year in Barnardos' School Costs Survey parents express their frustration at the high cost of sending children to school. This year, however, the parents who responded to our survey are also showing real fear and concern at how they are going to make sure their children have what they need to get an education. Many parents are being forced to make very difficult choices and many are getting into debt to pay for uniforms, books and other education expenses. Concrete solutions for tackling the costs associated with sending children to school are long overdue."

(CD/GK)