### Fees in Public Schools Are Not Mandatory: SEE
In public schools, it is common for committees to provide a list of cleaning and hygiene materials that parents are expected to purchase, costing between 300 to 900 pesos. As the new school year approaches, parents face significant expenses, including new school supplies and uniforms, which often become worn out by the end of the school year, alongside “voluntary” contributions.
Veronica Juárez, a mother of a public primary school student, anticipates spending around 3,000 pesos on school supplies alone, not including the sports uniform which now costs about 800 pesos, double what it cost last year. Veronica believes prices have significantly risen for the 2024-25 school year and is waiting for supermarket deals and school supply fairs to lessen the financial burden.
“I’m waiting for deposits. Uniforms are getting more expensive. I used to pay around 300 to 400 pesos for a new sports outfit. Now, it’s over 800. School supplies vary depending on the brand and materials,” she said.
### Rising Costs for Parents in This School Year
Veronica also noted that after visiting various stationery stores and markets in Tijuana, she saw significant price increases, mainly in notebooks, reams of paper, calculators, and markers.
“School supplies have increased by about 20 to 50 pesos depending on the quality of the materials. It’s currently more challenging to purchase them because the cost of basic necessities has also gone up,” she added.
Due to inflation, not only have school supplies become more expensive, but so have school fees and tuition, according to the National Consumer Price Index (INPC). From July to June 2024, the INPC rose by 1.05 percent. Consequently, the annual general inflation rate stood at 5.57 percent, up from 4.79 percent in 2023. The increase in primary school tuition fees was 7 percent compared to the previous school year, while secondary, preschool, and university fees saw a 6 percent rise.
Additionally, according to Veronica, teachers ask for school support in the first pre-school year meeting, which includes cleaning supplies for the facilities instead of cash payments.
“They don’t ask for money, but they ask for school support… but that’s like a thousand pesos for the materials they ask for, like disinfectant, hand sanitizer, paper, and other things,” she explained.
Even though Veronica doesn’t have to pay any fees, other parents report that their schools request “voluntary” contributions, saying it’s for maintenance purposes.
### Costs in Public Schools
In public schools, committees commonly give lists of cleaning and hygiene materials like disinfecting wipes, garbage bags, multi-purpose cleaner, hand sanitizer, and others, amounting to between 300 and 900 pesos for parents, depending on the number of items requested. In addition to this, social participation councils formed by parents also ask for “voluntary” contributions for enrollment, which vary from 180 pesos per student.
According to the Baja California Public Education Secretariat (SEE), these contributions are initiatives proposed by committees to improve school facilities or cover other operating expenses. These contributions are not mandatory, and schools cannot deny students entry if they don’t pay. If there are any issues, parents can report them to the SEE offices.
“No parent is obligated or conditioned to pay fees or voluntary support for their child to receive education,” the department stated.
### Expenses in Private Schools Similar to Public Ones
Claudia Brizuela, a mother of three children—two in preschool and one in primary, all attending private schools—said she has spent over 7,000 pesos on materials and uniforms due to the need to buy new supplies. The school supplies list for primary education costs around 3,000 pesos, and for kindergarten, it’s 2,000 pesos, totaling 8,000 pesos just on stationery for her three children.
“It’s eight thousand pesos for nursery and primary school supplies, but it’s ten thousand pesos for the books for the three kids,” she remarked.
Being in private schools, they also need to purchase school books, which cost between 600 to 1,000 pesos each, depending on the subject and edition. Moreover, they have to buy reading materials costing 200 pesos and book kits at 1,500 pesos.
“The activity books cost between one thousand and 700 pesos, and the girls have a complete kit costing 1,500, including five or six books,” she added.
### Expectations from Commerce
City merchants anticipate a 45% increase in sales for the 2024-25 back-to-school season, said the president of the Tijuana Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Services (Canaco), Julian Palombo Saucedo. Stores for uniforms, stationery, books, footwear, and electronic goods are expected to benefit the most. Sales usually ramp up in the two weeks before classes begin, as parents wait for their paychecks to start shopping.
“There is a sales increase in businesses, people receive their salaries and start buying supplies. Often we leave it to the last minute culturally, and that’s when businesses get crowded,” he noted.
Palombo Saucedo also recommended Canaco members buy large quantities of products to lower the purchase costs, reducing profit margins and offering lower prices to customers.
“If you apply a 30 percent margin on a product, lower it to 20 or 15 percent; that will give you the option for more sales, and in volume, there will be greater profitability because people are looking to save wherever they can,” he explained.
### Advice for Parents
Parents are encouraged to compare prices across different outlets to find the best products while remaining vigilant of sellers who may exploit customer needs and hike prices. The Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) can handle any dissatisfaction.
Meanwhile, Juan Carlos Rosas Landers, director of the Municipal Youth Institute (Imjuv) in Tijuana, remarked that more school supplies are being requested, attributing an investment per student of around 2,000 pesos.
“It’s two pages of school supplies; it’s a ton of things that don’t cost less than 2,000 pesos. A scientific calculator costs a minimum of 200 pesos, and a backpack no less than 300 pesos,” he explained.
Rosas Landers added that the IMJUV visits neighborhoods in East Tijuana to deliver school supplies to support young people.
“If you have two children to buy backpacks and materials for, we help with part of it,” he mentioned.
Thousands of children will return to classrooms for the 2024-2025 school year on Monday, August 26, and parents are seeking solutions before this date.
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### Secondary Article: Inflation and Education Costs in Mexico
Education-related expenses in Mexico continue to rise, reflecting broader economic challenges. In recent years, inflation has affected school fees, supplies, and even basic classroom necessities.
According to recent reports, tuition fees for primary, secondary, and higher education have seen increases of 6-7 percent, while parents continue to shoulder additional costs for cleaning supplies and voluntary contributions. These expenses often create financial stress for families, particularly in the backdrop of an inflated economy where the cost of basic goods has also surged.
Efforts from local organizations and government initiatives aim to mitigate the burden on parents by providing necessary school supplies and creating promotional offers in commercial sectors to ensure affordability.
For families struggling with these rising costs, it’s crucial to remain informed about available resources and support systems that can ease the financial pressure of the back-to-school period.