Back-to-school rush hits amid cry over high cost of learning items

Long queues as parents engage in last-minute shopping in Nakuru City on January 5, 2024.  [Daniel Chege, Standard]

Parents and guardians are expressing concern over the soaring cost of learning materials as the back-to-school rush intensifies ahead of the schools' reopening next week.

Several towns and centres witnessed a flurry of activity as parents set up tents in bookshops and supermarkets to purchase school items for their children.

They said the prices of some stationery items had surged to levels beyond their financial means, urging the government to address the high cost of learning materials.

This situation unfolded as booksellers across the country experienced a varied impact, with some attracting many customers while others struggled with stagnant stocks.

In Nakuru, book and uniform stores buzzed with activity as traders reported brisk business. A check by The Standard at various stores revealed long queues, with traders working hard to attend to the overwhelming clientele.

Ken Peterson, an attendant at a bookshop on Kenyatta Avenue, said business was reasonably good, but challenges persisted as most parents were unable to buy books due to the high cost.

"Most of our customers are complaining about the prices of the items; they are spending a lot of time bargaining, which is why the queues are hardly moving," he said.

Hundreds of parents, accompanied by their children, moved from one shop to another in search of the necessary items. Many expressed frustration that, in addition to the high cost of items, schools directed parents to specific outlets, leading to endless queues in most shops.

"The challenge is that not all uniform outlets are supplied with the school logos to ease the traffic, and schools only direct parents to particular outlets. This makes it difficult because you only find one or two outlets with that particular logo," said Agnes Gitonga, a parent.

She said while there are general items available in any uniform outlet, the branded items found in exclusive shops compel parents to purchase the items in those outlets.

The government banned public schools from selling school uniforms and textbooks in January 2023, aiming to crack down on suppliers colluding with learning institutions to overcharge parents for the items.

However, parents feel that some manufacturers are still colluding with exclusive uniform outlets that have a share of the lucrative market. They claim that some schools only supply logos to specific outlets.

In the Coastal region, parents interviewed said they chose to buy used textbooks and repair them because the new ones at bookshops were more expensive.

"Behind GPO, I exchanged the Grade 3 mathematics textbook and topped up Sh150. The same book would have cost me Sh600 at the bookshop. It is survival," said Sidi Kahindi.

She added that most parents were grappling with the high cost of school items, fees, and transport, coupled with the challenging economic times.

In Nyanza, some parents claimed they would send their children to school without some selected books due to soaring prices.

Emma Akinyi, a parent in Kisumu, expressed concerns that prices of school materials, including exercise books, which are usually the most affordable, have been hiked.

"I have a firstborn joining Junior Secondary School next week. The requirements are a pain to most parents," she said, noting that prices of textbooks are now double compared to last year, even for those sold in the streets, which are reused.

Joseph Oluoch, a parent, said a textbook he bought for Sh750 last year now goes for Sh1,050 at bookstores in Kisumu.

Moses Omollo, a bookstore owner, explained that the distributors have raised the prices of books, citing a hike in fuel prices as the reason for the move. They also complained of high production costs.

"We cannot afford to continue selling books at the same prices as last year or the previous years when we no longer purchase them at the same price," he said.

In the Mount Kenya region, a spot check within Nyeri town found most school uniform shops crowded as parents and students rushed to buy uniforms.

Most parents complained about the high prices of the uniforms, including the fleece jackets, which are now mandatory in many schools. The cheapest fleece jacket for a grade one pupil costs Sh1,500, while others were retailing for Sh2,050.

[Report by Antony Gitonga, Kiprono Kurgat, Caroline Chebet, Sharon Owino, Benard Sanga, Benard Lusigi, Anne Atieno, and Brian Kisanji]