Saudi Gazette Amazingly pleasant weather and clear skies had reigned over Jeddah during the spring break last week. Students, parents and teachers had a brief time to rest, go on excursions in the city; some families traveled within the Kingdom while others went abroad. After brief school holidays, it may be difficult for children to fight the temptation to stay in bed in the morning, but they usually return to school with renewed energy and enthusiasm. It is the father in the family who pays the price because holidays always mean increased spending on recreation and sightseeing, and also going back to school after a break — even a short one — means buying new school supplies. Consumerism, shopping, spending money and buying well-known and expensive brand names are all definite trends in Saudi society, and the obsession with shopping is evident at all stationery shops across the Kingdom on the eve of the return to school. The difference between needing to replace school items that are in poor condition and simply wanting to show off new purchases to friends at school is quite unclear among the younger generation. “School holidays place extra demands on the family's budget, as does the return from school after the holiday, no matter how short the holiday is. I have four children, so when my daughter asks for a new pair of shoes to wear to school, it is only fair that I buy new shoes for all the children,” said one dad in Jeddah, Abu Ahmad. Eyad, who works at a large stationery shop in Jeddah, said: “Our store experiences a clear increase in sales at the end of any school holiday, even the short ones. Just after last week's spring break, we had a 25% increase in sales, especially for art supplies, school bags, and ribbons. We expect greater than average activity in the store for the entire week of students' return to schools.” “Of course, the boost in school supplies sales after the short holidays is not as large as what is witnessed after the long summer vacation and the mid-term break. However, there is always a bustle in stationery stores once school doors open again, no matter how short the holiday was. The store is mainly crowded with the youngest students from the primary grades who may have lost their basic supplies, such as pencils, erasers, and sharpeners due to their young age,” said a stationery shop owner in downtown Jeddah. “As an educator, I advocate canceling these short one-week breaks because the disadvantages of these holidays outweigh the advantages. Not only do such holidays place a heavy financial burden on low-income families, but they also cause a noticeable increase in absenteeism, which will affect the students' academic performance. Most schools report that up to 40% of the students do not show up for school during the week before the scheduled holiday and the week right after the return to school from the holiday,” said Dr. Zuheir Hussein, member of the committee of private schools at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “I disapprove of the shopping frenzy that occurs every time schools resume after the holidays because it places unreasonable demands on families. I believe that some private and also government schools actually encourage this negative trend because they request new school and art supplies. It is usually the younger students and especially girls who shop for school supplies as if it is the beginning of a new school year, when in fact the school year only has a few more weeks remaining. It is the responsibility of parents and teachers to make students aware that this practice is incorrect, that some parents cannot afford new school supplies after every break, and that some purchases are unnecessary. We should also teach children how to value their own personal belongings, take care of them, and be responsible for not losing or damaging them,” added Hussein. __
