“J'ai dépensé plus de 200 000 FCFA” : les parents étouffés par les coûts de la rentrée scolaire
With the start of the 2025 school year just days away, anxiety is mounting among many Senegalese parents. Between skyrocketing prices for school supplies, registration fees deemed excessive, and the cost of clothing, the bill is reaching new heights. In large families, everyone is struggling to balance a budget already stretched by the economic crisis.
“I spent more than 200,000 CFA francs just for the start of the school year.”
At the Ouakam market, Madjiguène Dieng, a mother of five, browses the second-hand clothes stalls to limit costs. "I have two children in elementary school, two in middle school, and one in high school. Just between supplies, clothes, and shoes, I'm already at 200,000 CFA francs, not to mention the registration fees that will be added," she confides, visibly exhausted. Aware that education is a parental duty, she denounces a burden that has become unbearable. Madjiguène advocates for the widespread wearing of uniforms in public schools to reduce the cost of back-to-school. "If at least we made uniforms universal in public schools, we would save on clothing. I work, I can manage even if it's difficult, but I especially think of large families who don't have the means. It's complicated."
“Choosing between my own life and raising my children”
Astou Ndiaye, a housekeeper and single mother of three daughters, is experiencing the start of the school year as a real ordeal. “Their father left without ever looking back. Since then, I’ve been fighting alone. I started saving at the beginning of the holidays and managed to put aside 150,000 CFA francs, but it’s still a struggle,” she explains. To preserve her daughters’ education, she is sacrificing her own needs. “I’m giving up buying clothes, I’m even limiting my meals. With the current state of the market, items are unattainable, and I’m very afraid that my savings will only be enough for supplies and clothing, especially for my eldest daughter who is in high school. I’ll still have to find money for registration. It’s very difficult with the high cost of living.” Astou calls for more solidarity and better regulation. “The state should distribute free school kits to poor families and monitor registration prices.” In some public schools, the amounts exceed the official rates.
Aid deemed insufficient
Certainly, some town halls, ministries, and associations are distributing school kits during the back-to-school period to help households. But these gestures, while welcomed, remain marginal compared to the needs. "People of good will are doing what they can, but it's far from covering the demand, especially for large families. We must redouble our efforts to support the disadvantaged. We are very tired," insists Astou Ndiaye.
The hefty private bill
For Ibrahima Sow, father of two children enrolled in private schools, the bill is mounting quickly. "Today alone, I spent nearly 100,000 CFA francs on bags, notebooks, and clothes. With registration and uniforms, the bill can reach 250,000 CFA francs. It's very expensive," he says. He also denounces certain practices in private schools. "We pay everything in advance, but uniforms sometimes arrive in December in some private schools. We're forced to buy additional clothes, which adds to the costs. The state must regulate these schools and, above all, eliminate the mandatory payment for the month of July, when classes are almost nonexistent."
Holidaymakers, an additional burden
As if the economic crisis weren't enough, many parents are also having to deal with the return of "vacationers," the children of the family who have come to spend the summer in the city. Their return represents an additional, unforeseen cost. Awa Ba, a mother of four, has been hosting two vacationers since July. "My nieces came to my house on vacation. They are now leaving with new bags, clothes, and school supplies that I came to buy. Just for them, the expenses amount to 100,000 CFA francs. With my own children, I'm still waiting to get rid of the vacationers. With them too, I'm sure I'll spend another 200,000 CFA francs. Back-to-school could cost me up to 300,000 CFA francs. I'm completely overwhelmed. Back-to-school expenses are putting us in the red," she explains.
Cautious traders, hesitant customers
At the market, traders are also noticing the gloom. Modou Diouf, a seller of bags and water bottles at the Ouakam market, notes a significant drop in traffic. "This year, parents are buying in dribs and drabs. The economic situation is holding everyone back. Profits are much lower than last year. This country is economically devastated, and households are paying the highest price," he says.
A tense return to school
With just a few days to go before school opens, families, especially large families and those hosting vacationers, are experiencing the start of the school year as an endurance race, often fraught with sacrifices. Between registration fees, vacationers to equip, and multiple purchases, the 2025 school year is taking a heavy toll on households. Parents are calling on the state to increase subsidies, regulate prices, and make uniforms more widespread so that education doesn't become a luxury.
Commentaires (46)
Continuez à souffrir, c'est le projet.
Diomaye moy sonko
Vous allez tous payer
Ce montant n est rien comparé aux montants que vous dépsensez pendant des événements inutiles aux enfants, à la société, à la Ré^publique.
Vous dépensez des millions ou des milliards pour cérémonies inutiles, alors que 200 mille pour éduquer ses enfants c'est utile.
On n'a pas assez et on dit prendre en charge la rentrée des vacancières.
De plus, li faut arrêter de mettre vos enfants dans le privé si vous n'avez pas les moyens.
C'est parce qu'on râle et. puis on paye quand même que les écoles privées augmente les frais.
population senegalaise et surtout les gens des villes continuez à vouloir portez sur vos epaules ce que vous ne pouvez transporter: charge des vacanciers, vouloir mettre ses enfants dans le privés alors qu'on a pas de revenus mensuel stables, vouloir changer la garde robe des enfants à chaque rentrée, vouloir de nouveaux sacs, etc etc.
ca montre que les parents n'apprennent meme pas aux enfants àse contenter de ce qu'ils ont et d'etre econome.
Dans pleins de lycées à dakar, on y retrouve des eleves dont les parents ont bcp les moyens, et ce sont des parents intelligents car le mieux c'est de mettre ses enfant dans le public et de leur trouver un répétiteur , ce qui engendre peu de frais.
Mais bon, komm meunn nguenn rekk, atiha lenn rekk. je ne vais pas vous plaindre
Il faut que l'école publique retrouve ses gloires dans le temps l'état à trop regarder les écoles privées gagnaient du terrain Je ne dit pas que c'est pas bien mais ça coûte un bas pour la majeure partie des senegalais débrouillards.
Les parents ont le devoir de payer les charges mais l'état doit accompagner les plus démunis.
Dans d'autres pays l'état verse une aide scolaire à chaque enfant à partir du primaire à hauteur de 240000F
Il faut arrêter de dire aux gens d'arrêter de faire des enfants parceque il faut penser à cette population qui va vieillir donc au renouvellement de la population.
wa salaam !
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