Talent Gore
THOUSANDS of parents yesterday made a last-minute rush to buy uniforms and other school-related materials for their children ahead of the opening of schools, for the second term, today.
It was a hive of activity in the Central Business District, where shop owners also hiked prices of uniforms to cash in on the last-minute shopping by parents and guardians.
Retailers who spoke to H-Metro also confirmed that they registered brisk business yesterday.
A manager at a local shop that sells uniforms, who preferred to remain anonymous, said:
“The opening of schools has provided brisk business especially on uniforms and other school-related materials.
“This is the beginning of the second term and most parents want to buy winter uniforms for their children. We have since run out of stock for some of the uniforms.”
An employee, at one of the shops in Harare, also weighed in saying:
“We have increased prices on certain products, but since this is the last day, most parents are not bothered by the prices, they are just buying. I can safely say since morning we have registered good sales.”
According to Eveline Chijongwe, the prices for school uniforms had risen considerably.
“During this time of the season we are always stuck between a rock and a hard place as parents, due to the price hikes especially considering our incomes, these uniform fees are too high for us,” she said.
Another parent, Felix Nyangwe, raised concern at what they called inflated prices.
“Prices are changing regularly as retailers stock up uniforms and other school-related materials, leaving us parents with no choice but to buy at high prices,” he said.
“I was in town before I came to drop off my child at Civic Grounds, buying some of the stuff that I failed to buy last week. I was shocked to notice that retailers had doubled the prices of most of the basic goods that children in school need.”