Colourful bags, umbrellas, new shoes, pencil boxes, and water bottles… what is a school reopening without all these. As the school accessories market is booming, working-class parents are having a hard time making a compromise between the trendy and the affordable.
Barely a week left for the schools to reopen, most parents are in a last-minute frenzy to meet the necessities of their children, whose preferences are deemed very important while purchasing most items.
Rakhi Aneesh, a mother of two, takes her children along for the school shopping. “There is no point arguing with them over the quality, for they would use it for only for an year. My little one who is in standard I needs all colourful stuff, which she chooses herself. However, if it is too costly, we tactfully steer her away from it. But she has the last say,” Ms. Aneesh says adding that she concentrates more on quality for her elder daughter who is in standard VII.
Quality of uniforms
“I do not compromise on uniforms as the children have to wear it the whole day. The best quality clothes are used to stitch the school uniforms and there will always be at least three pairs,” says Jayanthi P.V, whose sons are in class V and XII.
Uniforms mostly last for at least two years, though minor alterations and additions will be needed occasionally, she says. “Fresh uniforms are mandatory when the children graduate from primary to secondary,” says Aparna Mohan, mother of two girls.
“I go for best quality bags so that they last for two years,” she says. The shoes are another major investment, though most parents agree that a pair would not last for a year.
“Even branded shoes last barely for six months,” Ms. Jayanthi says.
On an average, it costs more than Rs.5,000 to sent a child to school these days. However, most parents find online shopping to be greatly advantageous.
“We bought schoolbags online. There is a lot of choice. Even branded ones are available at reasonable prices when compared to the local market,” Ms. Aneesh says.
Irrespective of the quality, the children would want new bags, shoes, and other stuff the next year, she says.
