Sligo Today Editorial

Going back to school - what a rip-off

It is one of the most worrying times for parents as the new school term looms. New expensive uniforms and even more expensive new books have to be bought before the offspring head off for another term. But is the expense really necessary or has it been forced on gullible parents by a powerful self-interested lobby group. For decades, politicians have made noises and paid lip-service to the complaints of exasperated families, but have done nothing to alleviate the abnormal pressure being foisted upon today's parents.

There is a serious recession in play, not that the politicians, local or national, with their unvouched exorbitant expenses, would notice. You won't find any of them struggling to meet the tidal wave of monetary demands now hitting the households of schoolchildren across the land. Yet none of them will make any attempt to halt the scandalous scams being perpetrated upon parents.

Why do particular schools, in Sligo also, insist on jumpers bearing the school crest which can only be bought from a one, maybe two, suppliers in the school's locality, at rip-off prices. Is there a deal going on between the school and the shop/s? Is there a kick-back? If so to whom? 

If there was nothing untoward going on, then it would be a simple matter to purchase a sew-on or iron-on crest or washable transfer. Either of these could be purchased for less than €3 and affixed to a €5 jumper bought from any of the large department stores. For hard pressed, cash-strapped families, this would be a better alternative than having to fork out over €40 for the same item. Now some might say the quality is better in the more expensive item and would therefore last longer thus giving better value. True, but to families, who because of the current economic climate, find themselves with severe cash flow problems, it might suit them to purchase the jumper, for a lot less money, twice or even three times per year. Either way, they should have the choice. The savings would be very advantageous, especially for families with more than one child returning to school.

Specially designed trousers/slacks are also another example of a mini-cartel in operation. Particular schools have 'for whatever reason' decided that the school approved trousers are not the standard grey or navy but carry a striped or tartan design which again can only be purchased from the same drapery/clothes shop who supply the aforementioned jumpers. And again the cost of these specialised items are EIGHT  to NINE times the cost of the standard stock found in the department stores. So, the question must be asked, why, who benefits from this suspicious and spurious practice?

Some schools have now introduced school hoodies, sweat shirts, polo shirts, baseball hats, all crested and all costing multiples of the standard prices. All are designed to apply peer pressure to the pupil who is does not want to be seen to be outside the perceived norm. These 'initiatives' are a money making scam for somebody. Who?

It's up to the parents from each school to ask the questions, to pose these questions to the relevant school's Parent Associations, and to insist on the answers. The practice must be stopped, now.

Don't think the financial demands cease when the little darlings start their new term. That's when the letters arrive from the school. Fees for extracurricular activities, strangely some of these 'extras' were, until recently, part of the normal syllabus. Now in some schools, Art, Music and other 'ancillary' subjects require further parental funding. Some schools even have the temerity to 'request' a donation of €100 plus, because the Department has cut funding. Only in Ireland.

Regarding the ongoing school book debacle, the rip off continues unchallenged by the very people who can make a difference, the politicians. Each year they promise to 'look into it' but never do. Why?

The schoolbook publishers, along with the large and small bookshops control the upper ground here.

Minor 'necessary' changes in books require another print run by the publishers, more sales to the shops. Parents have to buy them, more sales by the shops. Everybody profits, except the parents. Another enforced rip-off. Some schools thankfully supply the books for hire, at a nominal fee, which eases the financial outlay, however unlike other jurisdictions, including our closest neighbour, who freely supply the books to the children of their country, Ireland continues to rip-off the very heart of the nation, the family.

False promises are customary with politicians, the opposition, if elected, have promised to supply every schoolchild with a laptop, and pigs will fly. What is needed is that every book in the entire school curriculum be published on the Department of Education's website and freely downloadable to every schoolchild in the country once verified by their PPS number. A grant should be made available to every school child for a netbook/laptop purchase.

The benefits would be enormous, no more back-breaking schoolbags full of burdensome tomes which, as the medicos will attest, is harmful for the bearers. A ground-breaking technological advancement in education practices in Ireland. The financial savings to families would be a godsend. The Back-to-School Allowance could be drastically reduced thereby partially reimbursing the government for their investment. So the bookshops would lose out, that's business, they can diversify. The printers would lose out. So what, most of the printing is done OUTSIDE Ireland, that's their problem. The family and the future education of the county's children must take precedence over the profits of a group who have profited for generations on the backs of hard pressed parents.

Other savings to finance the scheme should include the abolition of the Senate, the greatest waste of money ever devised. Callely has demonstrated to the country how the system was designed to be fiddled. Change the law and fire him, that saving alone would buy 750 netbooks next year. What about the rest in the has-been/wannabe club. Close it down. We could then be on the right track to get the country back on it's feet.

Let's not even think about the billions of now dead euro pumped into the incompetent and thieving banks.

Our current generation is already well and truly screwed. Let's not do it to the next. Act now.

Ciaran McCarthy
Managing Editor
SligoToday.ie

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Posted on 15/08/10 : 09:23:20