Private schools demanded an "iPad" for every student, and parents considered it an additional burden

Distance education revives the electronics market ... and "stationery" is stagnant

• 50% decrease in stationery demand compared to previous years.

  Photography: Osama Abu Ghanem

• Increasing demand for the purchase of "iPads" and "laptops".

  Photography: Osama Abu Ghanem

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Students' relatives confirmed that distance education forced them to buy tablets, instead of traditional school materials and supplies, after some schools converted paper books into digital, pointing to the high prices of tablets and computers, which represents a burden on parents, especially those with more than one student In schools, pointing out that schools have asked parents to provide a tablet or laptop computer for each student, to facilitate communication with him remotely.

Salesmen and owners of school supplies stores said that the stationery market is witnessing a recession of between 30 and 50%, compared to previous years, due to distance education, pointing to an increase in demand for electronic devices despite the increase in their prices, noting that the prices of tablets ranged between 600 and 3000 dirhams, By brand.

In detail, "Emirates Today" monitored, during a tour of the school supplies market, the decline in demand for school bags, notebooks and stationery, and the increase in demand for tablets and computers, despite their high price.

The father of three students in private schools, Ali Ismail, told "Emirates Today" that distance education forced him to buy three tablets for his children so that they could receive education as required, indicating that their lessons begin and end simultaneously, which prompted him to provide A device for every student, adding that the prices are high, and there are stores that exploit the increased demand for tablets and raise the prices without justification, pointing out that he bought one device for 1,100 dirhams, which represents a burden on him, as he is an employee and earns a modest salary.

The mother of two students in a private school, Shama Al-Nuaimi, reported that her children's school had converted some books from paper to electronic and digital, in order to preserve the safety of the students, which made her forced to buy two tablets for 4,000 dirhams, noting that she preferred education for her children to be in the hybrid system. It had to provide tablets for them to receive their education as required.

The father of four students in a private school, Muhammad al-Rahman, stated that he adopted the education system for his children in the school full-time, i.e. realistic, after filling out the questionnaire sent to him by the school administration, due to his preoccupation with his and his wife's work, but he was surprised by a circular issued by the authorities concerned with working for two weeks remotely In order to preserve the safety of the students, pointing out that he has two tablets at home, which his children used to take turns during the last semester, to attend their classes, which were at separate times, due to his weak economic situation, pointing out that he went to stores that sell tablets and computers, and searched for devices Used at prices that fit his budget, to provide devices for his children, so that they can receive education and attend classes remotely.

Vendors in commercial stores and outlets dedicated to selling school supplies and digital devices, who preferred not to mention their names, confirmed the decrease in demand for school bags and stationery at varying rates ranging between 30 and 50% compared to previous years, and the increase in demand for tablets and computers, despite their high prices, attributing the reason to adopting Large percentages of students are in the distance education system, and many schools choose the hybrid education system, forcing students' families to buy tablets for their children.

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A seller in an electronic devices store, Iyad Al-Nasser, revealed that the prices of tablets start from 700 dirhams, and increase according to their quality, specifications, speed and brand, and the prices of some brands reach more than 3000 dirhams, indicating that most of the parents are currently accepting to buy devices of high quality Moderate specifications, prices ranging between 1,500 and 2,300 dirhams.

While a worker in a computer store in Sharjah, Ishfaq Ali, confirmed that the demand for tablets and computers increased during the current period and the past days, pointing out that many parents ask him about used devices of medium quality that students can use for study only, and the mechanism for providing them with reduced prices. Because of the high prices of new, good-quality and high-quality devices, pointing out that he also maintains many devices used for students' families, and loads them with study programs that support distance education.

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