The significant expenditure comes as millions of children across the country prepare to return to school.
The daily cited data from Poland’s Central Statistical Office showing that last school year, 1.5 million children attended kindergartens, over 3.5 million were enrolled in primary schools, and almost 1.7 million attended secondary schools.
Rzeczpospolita estimates that the cost of stationery and textbooks alone at the start of the new school year will exceed PLN 5 billion (EUR 1.1 billion).
Despite the government's social assistance program "Good Start," which provides PLN 300 (EUR 66) per child for school-related expenses, many families find the support insufficient. According to a survey by SW Research cited by Rzeczpospolita, only 13% of parents plan to limit their spending to the PLN 300 (EUR 66) provided by the program. In contrast, 35% expect to spend between PLN 300 and PLN 500 (EUR 66-110) on school supplies, while 20% anticipate costs of up to PLN 1,000 (EUR 220) per child.
This year, Poland’s Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) has already disbursed over PLN 900 million (EUR 198 million) through the "Good Start" program. However, rising costs continue to strain household budgets.
A recent study by the Centre for Public Opinion Research (CBOS) from October 2023 highlights the burden of school supply expenses on Polish families. Last year, the average spending on school supplies at the start of the academic year was PLN 1,200 (EUR 264) for families with one child, PLN 1,800 (EUR 396) for families with two children, and over PLN 1,900 (EUR 418) for families with three or more children.
(jh)
Source: Polskie Radio, Rzeczpospolita
