A parent purchases uniform for her kid as schools re-open for the first term. [Photo: nation.co.ke]
Parents in Uasin Gishu county are up in arms over hiked prices of school items.
The parents most of whom are in the last minute rush to purchase items for their children going back to school were in rude shock after they found prices for the school items increased.
They now want the government to streamline prices for uniform and other school items.
"I've already used over Sh12,000 to purchase items for my daughter who will be going to form one next week and there are still more items needed," Thomas Kimutai Chemweno, a parent from Kapsiliot, Moiben sub-county said in Eldoret on Tuesday.
"The cost of these school times is too high. A sweater is today being sold at Sh700. A blanket that usually costs sh400 is 650 today. Same with the mattress and other basic school items and its time the government controlled the prices to protect us, parents," he added.
But as parents were complaining about high prices, businesses selling school items were making a killing as most of them within Eldoret town witnessed the influx of customers.
"Business is doing fine today only that parents are complaining of high prices but there's nothing we can do as it depends on the prices of where we get our items and we also want to make a profit," said Christopher Kirwa, owner of a school uniforms shop in Eldoret town.