Spanish school costs mounting

By James Bryce

IT’S not just schoolchildren being forced to add up this term… parents are being forced to shell out over 1,000 euros in back-to-school costs.

The outlay, ranging from 420 to 1,200 euros depending on whether it is a public or private school, is getting higher each year, insist consumer groups.

While the cost of a uniform remains unchanged from last year, extras such as supplementary text books have seen a sharp rise of 20 per cent.

The average cost for pupils at state funded schools currently stands at 600 to 700 euros for those which require a uniform.

But despite the heavy damage to the wallet, some costs have dropped over the last few years, including lunch, transport and after-school activities.