Loans being taken out to cover back to school costs, survey finds

With schools returning at the end of the month, a new Barnardo’s survey has shown that back-to-school costs are putting major pressure on families.

In a survey of 704 parents, more than half of all parents stated they are “worried” about meeting these costs, with almost one in five (18%) saying they were “very concerned.”

70% of those surveyed said they were “somewhat” or “very worried” about meeting the cost of uniforms this year. 

57% of secondary school parents said they had to pay for digital devices, at an average cost of €447. 

Parents suggested that some schools were “out of touch with reality” and the general cost of living issue within the country.

One parent of a secondary school student was quoted as saying “being asked to pay €850 for a tablet is disgraceful when people are struggling to pay their electricity bill and put food on the table.”

“The school has no understanding of the current cost of living crisis and how families are struggling. The tablet was compulsory; it is absolutely disgraceful,” they are quoted as saying.

The parent of a primary school student said “my biggest concern is that the cost of food, clothing, school supplies and activities keeps increasing, yet many hardworking families fall just above the income threshold and receive no Back to School Allowance”

“Missing out because your income is only a few euros over the limit feels deeply unfair, especially when those families still struggle with the real cost of raising children. The current system creates a benefits cliff instead of providing gradual support. Assistance should taper off based on income rather than stop completely, so that working families are not penalised for earning slightly more.”

Most telling of all, the survey shows that 15% of secondary and 9% of primary school parents say they have been forced to take a loan or borrow from friends and family to meet school costs, in a country with supposedly “free” education.

Barnardos National Policy Manager Stephen Moffatt said “Barnardos has been campaigning to reduce back-to-school costs in order to reduce financial pressure facing parents across the country for over 20 years.”

“Parents remain concerned about several back-to-school costs, in particular for many secondary school parents the cost of digital devices and for primary school parents the issue of expensive uniforms, which often now include additional branded tracksuits.”

Moffatt said, “the government needs to continue the progress made recently in order to provide a truly free education.”

Prior to the Dáil breaking up for summer recess, Labour put forward a motion in the Dáil which called on the government to reduce education costs.

Labour education spokesperson Eoghan Kenny, himself a teacher prior to becoming a TD in 2024, said that the “digital divide” is all too common in Irish classrooms.

Kenny said “the findings from Bernardos are clear. Across Ireland, parents are sitting at kitchen tables trying to work out how they are going to pay for another school year. For far too many families, the excitement of returning to school has been replaced by financial anxiety.”

“In one of the wealthiest countries in Europe, that should shame every one of us,” the Cork TD said.

“Technology is now an essential part of education, but access to technology cannot depend on whether a family can find another €450 before the school term begins.”

Kenny said that his experience as a teacher has granted him a first-hand insight into the struggles associated with education.

“Teachers do everything they can to support children, but they should never be expected to compensate for government failure. This is no longer simply a digital divide. It has become an educational divide, where access to learning increasingly depends on family income,” he said.

Kenny noted that the last government introduced the Free Books Scheme, but that cost was then substituted for costs such as laptops, transport costs, examination fees and so-called “voluntary” contributions.

“At precisely the moment schools became more dependent on technology, the government cut the ICT Grant by €15 million. Schools are now expected to deliver modern education with inadequate resources, while parents are left to cover the shortfall,” Kenny noted.

Perhaps aware of the PR win that comes with reducing education costs, the government did not oppose Labour’s motion on the first hearing of the issue in June; when the Dáil returns in September, it will be debated for a second time.