Rising cost of living puts pressure on parents' back-to-school finances in Germany
The German national statistics office said that school supplies like pens and books rose between 5 and 13% in July last year compared to the year before.
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00:00Lilla Greisbach is an academic in Berlin, juggling taking care of her two children with
00:09preparing university lectures.
00:12Every year, her and her husband get a list from the school of what supplies are needed
00:18before their children head back to the classroom.
00:21It could cost up to 300 euros for one child.
00:25The first time when I saw the list, I got a shock because there are a lot of things.
00:31But on the one hand, it's okay that it's a very good structure and you know what your
00:36child needs, but it's very expensive.
00:42Families are facing rising costs in Germany.
00:44The National Statistics Office says that school supplies, like pens and books, rose between
00:50five and 13 percent in July last year, compared to the year before.
00:56Parents in need of financial support can get 195 euros for school supplies per child.
01:02But the Berlin Child Protection Association says that's not enough.
01:07Backpacks alone can cost 150 euros, when they're specially designed to protect a child's shoulders
01:13and back.
01:15Costs also differ from state to state.
01:18School lunches are free in Berlin, from grades one to six.
01:21In Hamburg, they cost a maximum of four euros and 35 cents.
01:28Students can get a free education in Germany, even when they go to university.
01:32But some parents are increasingly choosing to pay, sending their children to private
01:37schools.
01:38One expert says that this could be due to rising immigration to Germany.
01:43When you ask them what is better at private schools, they say the educational program
01:49or the curricula or something.
01:52But in most cases, also in Germany, the share of migrants, the share of poor children is
02:05even lower.
02:06And that may be one thing that has impact.
02:12Immigration has gone down to its lowest level in more than three years in Germany.
02:17But Leila is still feeling the financial pressure as a working mom.
02:22She says parents get more support in her native Georgia, where relatives have a greater role
02:27in helping take care of the children.
02:29I have the impression that the costs are getting higher because everything is getting expensive
02:38and therefore I think it's automatically expensive every year.
02:45On top of all the costs, she also has to pay for a babysitter after hours while she works.