In order to equip one schoolchild for the first days of the new school year, parents have to set aside between 150 and 200 euros from their August salaries, and this figure includes only basic accessories and a few items of clothing.
Parents of elementary school students are relieved of the cost of the textbook sets that students receive from the state, and whose distribution to schools began on Monday. This year, it was announced recently, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation allocated around 3,5 million euros for free sets of textbooks.
Parents of high school students should allocate from 83 to 106 euros for sets of textbooks.
"The prices of all necessities for the first days of school this year are higher compared to the previous one, so the family's expenses have, as expected, increased and will continue to increase," the Parents' Association told "Vijesta".
The cheapest backpack is 30 euros, an empty pencil case is XNUMX euros
"Vijesti" reporters visited several bookstores and stores in Podgorica, and the prices indicate that at least half of the minimum wage is necessary to equip just one schoolchild in the lower grades of elementary school.
In Podgorica bookstores or shops with sports equipment, it is necessary to allocate from 30 to 96 euros for a school backpack.
Empty pencil cases can be found for 8,9 euros, while those with accessories reach a price of 39,9 euros. For a large notebook, it is necessary to allocate from 0,5 to 1,8 euros, pencils 0,6, while the cheapest erasers can be found for 0,5 euros.
The cheapest wooden crayons cost about two euros, ballpoint pens about one euro, plasticine 1,20, felt-tip pens four, watercolors two, tempera 2,50, a set of rulers about 2, a block of five for 1,2 euros.
In addition to school supplies and equipment, parents must budget for clothes and shoes.
The prices of children's clothing, of course, vary by store and brand, so in some stores it is possible to find sneakers for 11 euros. The prices of sneakers that can be worn on warm September days until the first November rains range between 30 and 90 euros.
For a short-sleeved T-shirt for a boy, you should spend from 8 to 18 euros, for the lower part of the tracksuit from 11 to 59, for the top from 17 to 75 euros. Pants for boys range from 24 to 70 euros, jeans from 16 to 30 euros.
When it comes to girls, short-sleeved T-shirts can be found at a price of 8 to 25 euros, and jeans from 15 to 28 euros. Hoodies cost between 20 and 56 euros, and tracksuit bottoms from 16 euros to 59 euros.
"Vijesti" reporters, calculating the lowest prices, arrived at the data that it will cost parents between 90 and 100 euros to dress their children for the first days of school. That figure includes the cheapest sneakers, and one short-sleeved T-shirt, hoodie, bottom and top part of a tracksuit.
The minimum wage in Montenegro is 450 euros.
Let's share, because together we can do more
"Precisely because we recognize how important and burdensome this item is for families, especially those families who do not have the opportunity to provide even the basic conditions for life, the Parents Association has been implementing the 'Let's Share' campaign since the beginning of its work in 2012. We have been basing ourselves, for many years, only on school supplies, because education is crucial and important to us. We are trying to buy the families who are on our records everything they need for the first school months, so that they do not differ from their peers", told "Vijesta" from that NGO.
They emphasize that the action "Let's share" has been organized since the beginning of August this year.
"...And we try to include all municipalities. This is the difference compared to all previous years. This year, we have decided to make an effort, with all our strength, to collect as many donations as possible and to equip as many children as possible from all municipalities. We contacted all local centers for social work. Everyone provided us with data and based on it, bearing in mind that these are large numbers, we came to the figure of 1.400 children who need our help. We also expect that number to increase by the end of August. We still have a lot of work ahead of us in terms of motivating donors to help us reach the extremely large figure that must be provided in order for all these children to be ready for the beginning of the school year. It is something around 25.000 euros in total, but we are convinced that we will reach the goal", the Parents Association are optimistic.
The action, they emphasized, will last until August 30.
As previously explained by that association, these are children who live in families on the edge of existence, beneficiaries of the family's material security, in single-parent families, in foster families...
"They are often discriminated against at school by their peers, and a significant number of them live in informal shacks, without electricity or bathrooms, and eat in soup kitchens," the announcement reads.
The association's partner in the implementation of the humanitarian action will be the Foundation "Čini dobro" again this year, which will donate money for the purchase of school supplies for schoolchildren, but also help in collecting donations by activating an online platform through which all interested parties, regardless of whether they live in Montenegro or abroad, I can help.
Donors can contact the Parents Association on the phone number 020 511 983, as well as via email udruzenje.roditelji@gmail.com.
Bonus video:
