Editorial: school hardship should be worth it

Just as the weather improves it's that time of the holidays when children are starting to perhaps get a little bored and both they - and no doubt their tired parents - are about ready to start thinking about school again.

That means it is time for the back-to-school rush.

Parents are no doubt racing around now getting everything together that their children will need ahead of the first term of the new school year. Children will be returning to their school books from next week and getting them ready can certainly be a costly business given the list of things they need - uniforms, stationery, shoes, bags, lunch boxes etc.

I'm not sure how my parents managed it with four children back when we were still at school. It can only have become harder for today's parents.

Then, as the year progresses, there will be the inevitable "extras" for which parents must also stump up if they want their children to be able to participate in school trips and the like.

There is no such thing as free education when you think of all that it costs to equip children just to get them into the classroom and on top of that, the extra activities for which they also need money.

Fundraising has always been a part of what schools do but it has become increasingly important to enable children to experience more than just maths and English lessons.

Things were a lot simpler a few decades ago when the only trips were school camps and the big fundraiser of the year was the school gala where my mum used to make pancakes.

But I envy today's children. Schools offer a much wider range of learning experiences these days, often tailored to make the most of children's potential, hopefully standing them in good stead later in life and making all that effort their parents go to - financially and otherwise - worthwhile.