BACK-TO-SCHOOL RUSH: Akaisha Hinds (left) about to try on a pair of sneakers with the help of her mother, Tonia Boyce, in a retail store on Thursday in Bridgetown

Parents complain prices of back-to-school items high

Article by Regina Thomas

As the nation’s pupils prepare to return to face-to-face schooling this coming Monday, the cries of parents complaining over the cost of books and school supplies appeared to be louder than in previous years.

The Weekend Nation heard the plight of many parents on Thursday during a visit to Bridgetown, the main shopping area for back-to-school supplies in the island.

The high prices of some books are causing parents to leave them on the shelves as they grapple with the high cost of sending students back to school.

Other parents have “bite the bullet” and purchased the supplies even as they go over – far over – their budget.

Scarcity, some parents noted, has pushed up the prices of some of the necessities with the last-minute rush on to secure supplies.

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