by Alimat Aliyeva
Preparing a child for the new school year in the French-speaking
part of Belgium is becoming increasingly expensive. Against the
backdrop of the ongoing economic crisis in the European Union,
families may spend nearly €1,000 per child.
These figures were released on August 18 by the Belgian League
of Families, based on its own study involving 1,146 families.
According to the survey, average back-to-school expenses during
the 2025/2026 academic year amounted to around €70 for preschool
children, €188 for pupils in the first three years of primary
school, and €285 for those in grades four to six. In regular
secondary schools, the average cost rose to €578 per student.
The highest expenses were reported by families whose children
attend technical and vocational schools, where the average costs
reached €920 and €973 respectively. For many households, such
amounts represent a significant financial burden, especially at a
time when the overall cost of living remains high.
Parents are trying to cut costs wherever possible. Nine out of
ten schoolchildren are expected to reuse supplies from the previous
school year, while many families are also turning to second-hand
markets to buy school materials and other essentials.
However, the figures do not include a number of additional
expenses that arise throughout the school year, such as
after-school care, extracurricular activities, photocopying and
educational materials, as well as clothing and food.
Digital equipment is another major expense. Among families that
had to purchase a laptop or tablet specifically for education, the
average cost exceeded €300. At the same time, around one in three
students in French-speaking Belgium is required to have their own
device for schoolwork.
One interesting trend is that the digitalisation of education is
changing what families consider “basic” school supplies. A laptop
or tablet, software and access to online educational resources are
increasingly becoming just as essential as notebooks, pens and
textbooks.
The rising cost of education comes amid broader economic and
geopolitical pressures, including high energy costs, tensions
linked to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and the
continuing impact of European sanctions on Russia and support for
Ukraine.
For many Belgian families, the start of the school year is
therefore no longer just an educational milestone — it has also
become a serious financial challenge.