Saudi Gazette visited some stationery shops in Jeddah and found varying prices for the same goods in different shops. Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — More than five million students are set to start their new academic year beginning this Saturday. Mohammad Al-Dakhiny, spokesman of the Ministry of Education, announced that schools all over the Kingdom will officially open on Saturday (Sept. 10). Many families are hard-pressed to buy necessary school supplies but they have already exhausted their monthly budget on Ramadan and Eid shopping. Adding to their budget woes are the sky-high prices of school supplies. “I was very smart when I decided to buy stationery supplies for my children before Ramadan when the prices were still acceptable,” said Mohammad Ali, father of three children. Another obstacle facing the families is the transportation expenses, especially for those parents who go for work in the morning. “Each year, I face the problem of finding the best driver for my kids. Some of them charge very high rates, although the school is only 15 minutes away from my villa,” said Ali Yousef. “I think the Ministry of Transportation in cooperation with the Ministry of Education needs to provide more school buses for schoolchildren,” Yousef added. Back-to-school is a high-income season for stationery shops. “Honestly, it is a good chance for us to sell more items and get good income,” said Faisal, a Yemeni shopkeeper who sells stationery goods in Al-Nakheel District. Saudi Gazette visited some stationery shops in Jeddah and found varying prices for the same goods in different shops. In one stationery shop, a 40-page notebook was being sold for SR1.5, while in another shop, a similar notebook was being sold for SR3. When asked about the differences in prices, Faisal explained, “These offers are only on some old pieces and do not include the new ones.” __
