Budget for school clothes
With the start of the new academic year on Wednesday, children must wear school uniforms and the cost of school clothes is always an added expense.
Although every school has its own supplier of school clothes, it is still vital for parents to spend wisely when doing back-to-school shopping.
Gillian Adno Verity, a retail supplier of school clothes, supplied the Addie with average costs of school clothes for boys and girls when bought in cash.
The average cost for a Grade One boy’s basic uniform which includes two shirts, shoes, three pairs of socks, a jersey and a pullover, will cost between R750 and R900.
Depending on the school, the cost of school uniforms for a Grade Eight boy will cost between R900 to R1 000.
The basic school clothes needed for Grade One girls are two school dresses or skirts, a short-sleeved jersey, a long sleeve jersey, shoes and will cost between R550 and R600 and R500 and R900 for a Grade Eight girl, depending on the size.
“School clothes are like bread and butter, you need them every day,” says Verity.
Depending on the school, boys and girls’ basic white shirts and grey trousers can be purchased at any shop.
Frans Styger, principal of Hoërskool Hugenote, says although the school has its own school clothes shop, they have a second-hand clothing shop as well, where parents can buy school clothes at reasonable prices.
“We also support less fortunate children with the necessary school clothes from this shop, free of charge,” he says.
The school has implemented a project where they ask the Grade 12s (when they write their final subject) to come to school in private clothes and donate their school uniforms to the clothing bank.
Styger says most matric candidates support this project.
“When it comes to extra costs such as sportswear; parents can also get that at their second-hand clothing store,” he concludes.
