Back-to-school 2025: Rising costs and last-minute rush leave parents stressed

As the back-to-school season begins, many parents have voiced their frustrations over rising costs, last-minute preparations and the continued pressure of balancing work and family life.

With the new school year starting next week, parents have shared concerns about the increasing financial burden the start of the academic term brings.

Lena Roos (60) who lives with her granddaughter (8) says she opted to buy her a school dress instead of stationery as she does not have the funds.

“I needed to choose between her school uniform and her stationery, but I am not able to afford her stationery so I am pleading for any good Samaritan to come to my rescue,” she says.

From rising school fees to the high cost of uniforms, stationery and transportation, many families are feeling the pinch.

“Every year it seems like the prices go up and it’s becoming harder to manage,” says Mary Tjivinda, a mother of two in Windhoek.

“The cost of school supplies alone has nearly doubled in the last five years. On top of that, I have to worry about transport to and from school, which is not cheap either. It’s overwhelming,” she says.

Financial adviser and mother of two Joana Samuyenga has advised parents to start buying school stationery in December or November already. “My experience so far: I don’t have any headaches and the reason being is because I plan well in advance.

“I’m a financial coach, so I know what I’m doing. So from January, I have a sinking fund or a separate account where I put money for all the upcoming expenses in the year. For parents out there, try to pre-plan. Obviously, if you look at their faces, people are not happy. They are sad because of the prices and everything,” she says.

Samuyenga says parents need to squeeze everything into the small budgets they have.

She says buying school stationery and uniforms at the last minute puts unnecessary stress on one’s shoulders, which could have been prevented.

In addition to financial concerns, some parents have expressed frustration over the last-minute scramble to get their children ready for school.

One such parent, Harold Shingula, finds himself juggling work, school shopping and other commitments.

Some have described the chaotic rush to buy textbooks, uniforms and other necessary items as “stressful” and “disorganised.

” “It seems like every year the list of what kids need just gets longer. It’s stressful trying to get everything sorted in time,” he says.