How inflation impacts the back-to-school expenses?

Back to school! The summer ends with a multitude of scenarios that have not escaped the consequences of inflation, a new school year begins. So, what’s new for the current back-to-school 2023-2024 in Morocco? And how does the persistent inflation affects parents’ budgets?

In fact, in a context featured by an increase in the consumer price index, school supplies prices do not seem to be an exception, let alone tuition fees for those who have opted for private education that, despite their income that struggle to make ends meet, perceive private schools as the best option for an improving quality of education.

Several parents reveal that prices are increasing for many textbooks, specifically those imported from abroad and required by private schools, with an increase ranging from 10 to 20 DH per book. Some notebooks have even seen their prices rise by 13 DH. As for national textbooks, the increase is approximately 3 DH. This price hike is hitting parents’ pockets hard, particularly those with multiple school-aged children.

According to editors, this is due to a significant increase in production costs against more than 100% rise in the price of paper on the global market. To mitigate this and guarantee the stability of textbook prices, the government provided financial support to publishers estimated at nearly 94 million DH. However, the question that arises is why some schools require imported textbooks that do not benefit from compensation? Is it about the quality of the content, the design, or simply a marketing strategy to justify the quality of education within certain institutions?

This equation with several variables between the choice of private, public education, inflation, and low-income families is transforming the educational ecosystem in Morocco which highlights the need for comprehensive reforms to ensure equitable access to quality education.