During a field tour of several stationery shops in Qamishlo, ANHA monitored the prices of a range of basic school supplies to estimate the approximate minimum cost of preparing one student for the start of the school year.

The survey found that prices vary depending on quality and type, with significant differences among stationery products. Shop owners also said prices remain unstable and can change from one day to the next.

School Supply Prices

According to prices monitored by ANHA, a 60-page notebook costs around 6,000 Syrian pounds, while a 90-page notebook costs 15,000 pounds and a 120-page notebook 20,000 pounds. A 200-page notebook costs around 22,000 pounds.

Ink pens range from 10,000 to 17,000 pounds, while a box of colored pencils costs around 10,000 pounds.

Pencil cases range from 15,000 to 20,000 pounds, while water bottles cost between 18,000 and 45,000 pounds.

School bags start at around 50,000 pounds and can reach 150,000 pounds or more, depending on quality and type.

How Much Does It Cost to Equip One Student?

Based on the lowest prices recorded, an initial basket of stationery for one student can be calculated as follows:

If a student needs six 60-page notebooks, two ink pens, a box of colored pencils, a pencil case, a water bottle and the cheapest school bag, the total cost would be around 150,000 Syrian pounds.

This figure does not cover all of a student’s school needs, but only a basic set of supplies whose prices were monitored.

The cost can rise significantly if families choose notebooks with more pages or higher-quality products. For example, replacing six 60-page notebooks with six 120-page notebooks would increase the cost of the notebooks alone from 36,000 to 120,000 pounds, bringing the cost of the same basket to around 233,000 pounds.

If a 150,000-pound school bag is chosen instead of the cheapest option, the total cost of the same basic basket would reach around 250,000 pounds, before adding any other supplies.

When higher-priced notebooks are combined with a school bag from the more expensive range, the cost of this initial basket can exceed 330,000 pounds, without representing the student’s full requirements for the school year.

Supplies Not Included in the Calculation

These figures remain estimates, as students need other supplies that vary according to their grade level and subjects. These include pencils, erasers, sharpeners, rulers, geometry tools, glue, craft paper, school uniforms, textbooks and other necessities that were not included in the calculation above.

The number of notebooks required also varies from one student to another depending on the grade level and number of subjects. This means the actual cost of preparing a student for the school year is considerably higher than the figures cited above.

Sluggish Sales

Rising prices are affecting not only families but also sales at stationery shops. Several shop owners who spoke to ANHA reported a sharp slowdown in purchases of school supplies compared with previous years.

Shop owners attributed the price increases to higher import costs, shipping fees and taxes, as well as the difference between the old and new currencies and their insufficient availability in the markets. They said these factors are affecting overall market activity.

According to the field survey, the problem is not only the high prices but also their instability. Prices of some stationery products change almost daily, and sometimes within short periods, making it difficult for families to set a fixed budget for preparing their children for school.

As the new school year begins, supplies that may appear simple and inexpensive individually are becoming a significant financial burden for families, particularly those with more than one student, at a time when households are already facing growing living-cost pressures.

ANHA’s findings indicate that continued increases and instability in stationery prices are placing additional pressure on families at the start of the school year, making it increasingly difficult for them to provide students with basic supplies and keep up with their children’s educational needs.

ANHA