More families seeking help as bill for school books hits €350 [Independent.ie]
- Published: 12 July 2010
PARENTS will have to spend as much as €350 on school books for secondary school pupils this summer.
And the number of families seeking state aid to cover the high costs of going to school is expected to nearly double over 2007 levels.
A new survey by the Consumers' Association of Ireland (CAI) has found that the cost of buying school books is a huge drain on parents, even before they fork out for uniforms, transport and other extras.
Books for first and fifth years at the beginning of the Junior Cert and Leaving Cert cycles are the most expensive, as a full set is required -- adding more than €350 to a pupil's secondary school bill.
The typical costs for second-year students were lower at €62, as only a few new books were needed, a survey in the CAI's 'Consumer Choice' magazine found.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
