Back to School Cost in DR

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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Today's Diario Libre has an article about back to school costs. Computer translated:

Preparing a child for school can cost up to RD $ 40,000

In less than 15 days, the new school year 2017-2018

SANTO DOMINGO. The cost of sending a child to the private school or public school ranges from RD $ 4,000 to RD $ 40,000, depending on the category of the educational establishment and the grade to be taken.

Angel is the father of three children who will attend the first year of Basic, as well as first and third of Media. The private school where they study is located in a lower middle class sector, and has so far spent RD $ 10,000 on buying textbooks.

He estimates that on average he will spend RD $ 15,000 in teaching resources, plus another RD $ 10,000 in uniforms and school supplies. He just paid RD $ 10,000 for the re-enrollment of the students.

Another case is that of Yanet, who has his daughter in a private middle-class educational center, and that only the books that are required must allocate more than RD $ 8,000. His daughter will attend the first grade of basic.

The higher the grade level, the higher the cost of textbooks to acquire.

Daneiri is another mother who says she invests RD $ 30,000 only in the purchase of the textbooks of her two children, who this year will attend the 6th of basic and 1st of Media.

In the case of the public sector, parents do not have to make big investments because the Ministry of Education provides them with textbooks, and uniforms are not very expensive, as the prices of a school shirt are offered between RD $ 120 and RD $ 200 And pants between RD $ 200 and RD $ 300.

The greatest concern that some families face is getting a seat in the polytechnics, especially those run by religious, who are hermetic when it comes to accepting new students.

Some prices

Backpacks cost between RD $ 105 and RD $ 2,000; Pants between RD $ 200 and RD $ 500, depending on the color and quality of the fabric; Textbooks between RD $ 300 and RD $ 1,500, and pets 144 pages, RD $ 20.

For lunch boxes, parents must pay between RD $ 329 and RD $ 829, depending on the size and brand, and if they include the containers can increase RD $ 100.

School shoes are offered between RD $ 250; RD $ 3,695 and more. The sports pants from RD $ 250 and the T-shirts RD $ 200.

The prices can have differences of RD $ 5; RD $ 10 and RD $ 20 per business establishment and many promote 20% discount offers.

In many private schools they have the policy of selling uniforms or sending them to a store where they are made, where a uniform can be worth between RD $ 1,000 and RD $ 1,500.

If you add sports uniforms and other useful items, such as pencils, erasers, rulers, papers, linings to cover the notebooks, a family should have more resources.

Against this background, the school year that begins in 14 days is a concern of parents who must allocate part of their income, leaving aside other commitments, to acquire the books, notebooks, uniforms and other items that their children require to attend to class.

Meanwhile, shopping centers begin their "war" of merchandise offers to attract buyers and several banks do the same, but with personal loans, for parents who could not save for those purposes.

In fact, in the Dominican Republic there is no culture of savings and less of that type, so it could be said that the parents who keep their income for these purposes are minimal.

From book prices
As an example, a first grade student should invest RD $ 1,200 for each book of basic subjects of Spanish Language, Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Social Sciences. While buying a school dictionary in Spanish will pay an average price of RD $ 400, a calligraphy RD $ 255; Spelling RD $ 630 and English RD $ 975.

https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...ela-puede-salir-hasta-por-rd-40-000-MA7828248
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
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You can tell it´s getting close to the new school year when all the stores build a temporary prison around the school books.
 

caribmike

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Jul 9, 2009
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Yup,

my big one, Calasanz, Bavaro: 20,000 more or less, less because he had still usable stuff from last year.

the little one, Colegio APEC, Santo Dominigo: 80,000 (including the monthly payments paid in advance for the year to receive a 10% discount).

APEC had a feria together with a Libreria and Uniformes Floriano, there was another little discount.

I prefer to buy the stuff like that and Amazon before I go into these battle zones in the supermarkets, when everybody wants to buy their stuff for school. :) Terrible.
 

melphis

Living my Dream
Apr 18, 2013
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cats, not kids! that's all i'm gonna say.

My brother has a plaque in his house that says. "When it came to choosing kids over dogs I chose dogs because I would sooner F*** up my carpets than my life".
After raising 3 kids it has some merit.
 

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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We use the government textbooks as they are free to the students. We then make our own books for English/Spanish and for kinder/PP/primero and the cost to the parent is 1600-1800 depending on the grade. We lost around 200 kids to the public schools die to cost and have gained almost as many back from the public system. Many kids in grade two or three that cant do simple subtraction or Multiplication. We have one of our 1st graders and 3rd graders to show parents what level we expect for those grades. Private school is an expensive proposition for poor or even middle class Dominicans. Uniforms minus shoes is around 1600 per child.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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We're coming up to the last year of schooling, paying fees towards the higher end of the scale. We have to buy materials and uniforms but the text books are included in the fees.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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Schooling as in primary and secondary school. Then comes the GAP year followed by university or whatever further education he ends up choosing.

ETA - to clarify - after the last year of school it will no longer be a Dominican back-to-school expense as the plan is to study overseas.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
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$$$$. then comes $$$$$ followed by $$$$$. :laugh:
you want one of my cats instead? i have 4 :) :) :) :)