By; FUNMI ADERINTO, Kaduna.
Barely three weeks after schools resume from the long holidays, the prices of stationery is on the increase just as parents groans as they have no other alternative than to purchase them.
A visit to most markets within Kaduna metropolis saw parents and guardians lamenting the increase of school materials in addition to school fees and other items.
According to Mohammed Ahmed in Abubakar Gumi market, a supplier of book items, as at last week “carton of 20 leaves exercise book sold at N9, 800 now sells at N10, 200. Cartoon of 40 leaves exercise books last week was sold at 8, 900 but now sells at N9, 500. Cartoon of 60 leave exercise book was sold at N9, 300 but now is N10, 700. Carton of 80 leaves short note exercise book was sold at N9, 900 last week but now N10, 200. Carton of Higher Education was sold at N8, 600 last week but now N9, 300. Carton of pencil was sold at N800 last week but now N1200. Carton of A4 paper was sold at N5, 500 but now is N6, 000”.
A parent who came to purchase exercise books for her children said “I have four children in secondary school, I have to buy a packet of 60 leaves exercise book for each of them, a packet cost N900 since it is what they were asked to buy, now exercise books are expensive I have to buy it to meet up their demand”.
Mohammed explained that “exercise books is the first priority for parents to buy for their wards because it is the materials used in writing in school, therefore parents have no choice than to buy at the price sold in market”.
Francis who supplies textbooks to schools in Kaduna said “there is low patronage because textbooks are expensive, parents complain that no money to buy enough exercise books for their wards. How can we buy textbook when we are looking for money to feed the family.”
Meanwhile, a book seller in the same market, known as Madam Supply said “parents still come for books even though it is expensive, we supply to different shops and the demand is increasing. No guarantee that the price of books we sold today will amount to what will be sold tomorrow because we sell according to how the producers give to us,” she said.
