As people go through the “Ernesto Fernández” market, in the city of Masaya, the voice of town criers stands out in the midst of the hustle and bustle: they offer a variety of supplies and school uniforms, which, by the way, in the case of shirts, skirts and pants, present a significant increase. However, the price of the notebooks is the one that has most astonished the families of this municipality, who reaffirm that they are more “expensive”.
At the gates of the start of the 2023 school year, merchants have good expectations and hope to increase their sales of school supplies as the start of classes approaches, on January 23. “I started putting notebooks in from the second half of December and the sale was a bit busy. As early as January, people began to quote prices and the truth is that the notebooks are a bit expensive, but they are more favorable by the dozen”, mentions a merchant who sells supplies every year.
“The cheap university notebooks are the spring-loaded ones and go for 30 a dozen, but prices vary. There are Smarty, Líderes and Loro notebooks that range from 35 to 80 córdobas for primary school depending on the style, whether it is ruled, double lined or squared. In the case of university students, the most sought after are the Leaders, the cooked ones, for example there are prices of 40, 50, up to 105 córdobas, but there are also notebooks of 2 and 3 subjects with prices from 130 to 170 córdobas, which are the ecological ones”, added the merchant.
School uniforms with stable prices
The section of the merchant Josué Suarez, during the school season is dressed in blue and white with the offer of shirts, skirts and pants. He also has the particularity that in his textile-garment workshop, for 15 years, he has been making uniforms for the students.
As of December, they begin to work on the first orders that are requested, mainly from the departments. Skirts from 175 to 225 córdobas is the price that one finds according to the sizes, while pants, whether for men or women, range from 235 to 285 córdobas.
“At the Príncipe de Paz commercial, we make and offer school uniforms with quality fabric, since we use American dacron. As for the skirts, the prices vary according to the size, that is why we have that the size 21 and 22 have a value of 235 córdobas, the skirt size 23 and 24,185 and the size 25 and 26 are at 195 córdobas, that is, everything which is primary uniform, since we have youth skirts at 225. We also offer all sizes of pants for children with prices of 235, 245 and 255 córdobas, and sizes of youth pants for men and women at 285 córdobas Suárez explained.
Related news: Masayas dissatisfied with a political monument in its central park
On another of the platforms in the Choluteca sector of this market, they sell Asatex shirts, which have a more favorable price. For example, children’s sizes cost 120 córdobas and youth sizes 140. On the other hand, the highest quality Bondi shirts range between 180 and 220 córdobas. Similarly, there are Sincatex youth skirts at 250 córdobas and pants of the same brand for youth, at 280 córdobas.
Optimism in the market but…
As for backpacks, there are a variety of designs and you can buy them from 300 córdobas for the cheapest up to 1,400 córdobas, depending on the brand and size.
“Due to the high cost of the basic food basket and the difficulties that families are going through, there is no doubt that it will be a sacrifice, that their children, as we say in good Nicaraguan, can start classes for the first time,” says an optimistic merchant.
Other parents manage to buy some school supplies and that their children go with the same uniform or backpack from last year, as Claudia briefly expressed, who quoted the prices for the possible purchase that she would make the next weekend with the biweekly payment. “You have to be selective and buy what you really need,” she says.
By: United Voices
