Feature: Syrian parents struggle economically to prepare children for new school year

DAMASCUS, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) — As the new school year approaches, Farhan Abdul-Samad, a father of six, has to make the difficult decision of pulling five of his children out of school, leaving only one with the opportunity for education.
“They’re now doing simple jobs to earn some money,” Abdul-Samad told Xinhua. “I have just one child left in school, but even that is becoming too much. I’m considering asking him to drop out and find work. My salary just isn’t enough to cover all our expenses,” he said, expressing regret over his poor financial condition and its impact on his family.
Abdul-Samad’s situation is not unique in Syria. Ghaida Najim, a state employee and mother of four, has faced similar hardships and challenges as the new school year begins on Sept. 8. The Syrian economic crisis, worsened by Western and U.S. sanctions, has left many families in the country struggling to meet basic needs, let alone afford education.
“Everything is expensive,” complained Najim, who set up a rotating savings group with her friends.
Each month, members of the group contribute a fixed amount of money, and one of them receives the pooled funds. Recently, it was Najim’s turn to receive the money, which she used to buy school supplies for her children.
“It’s barely enough,” she said. “Securing notebooks, books, and uniforms is one of the biggest challenges, especially given the current economic conditions.”
Samar Hamida, a Syrian housewife, expressed frustration over the soaring prices of essential items such as bags, uniforms, and books. “We’re relying on second-hand items because we can’t afford to buy everything new like we used to. The poor economic situation is affecting the quality of education,” she said.
Ghadir Mahmoud, a university student working at a stationery store in Damascus, has observed firsthand the decline in purchasing power among his customers and the poor quality of products now on the shelves. As prices have soared, high-quality items have seen little demand.
“Every year, demand weakens,” he said, adding, “People are opting for cheaper options that serve the purpose, regardless of quality.”
The young man also discussed the impact of U.S. and Western sanctions on the shift towards lower-quality goods.
“Western sanctions have made it difficult for us to obtain high-quality products, and those that are available are too expensive for most people,” he pointed out.
Abdul Razaq Habzah, secretary of the Consumer Protection Association, was cited in local media reports as saying that the cost of preparing a single student for school now exceeds the average monthly salary of a government employee.
To alleviate some of the burden, the Syrian government has organized school supply fairs across various provinces. These fairs offer items at reduced prices, but many families say the discounts are still insufficient to offset the soaring costs. ■