Start the school year with this back-to-school checklist

It’s a scenario most parents are familiar with: the end of summer vacation, and the back-to-school preparations happening in full swing. In the Philippines, more than 23 million students will be welcoming the new school year . For parents, this signifies the need to secure all the necessary supplies and materials for their children’s studies. Aside from the basics like pens and notebooks, students will also find the items below highly useful as they start a whole new year of learning.

Planner
Keep track of all important activities, deadlines, and school events in one planner for a smooth school year. A planner is also a great way to map out and start budgeting for extracurricular activities plotted out during the entire year.

Well-fitting uniform or school clothes
Never underestimate the confidence boost which proper fitting uniforms or school clothes can give. It isn’t even necessary to buy new or trendy ones either. The most important thing is that students are dressed appropriately, in well-fitting and comfortable clothes.

Computers or tablets
According to a recent device usage survey among Filipinos, 38% of the survey population uses a desktop or laptop, while 29% uses a tablet device. Technology is now an indispensable part of our lives. Having a decent computer is an investment; not only in aiding students with their school work, but also in helping them keep up with evolving technology and upgrading their skills and computer literacy. In the Philippines, the Department of Education aims to improve information and communications technology because of its great potential in student education.

A good internet connection
There are more than 76 million Internet users in the Philippines, with numbers rising each year. Having a good internet connection means students have a world of information readily available at their fingertips. For parents working abroad, the internet serves as a vital tool in communicating with their children, and better understanding and providing their needs.

Between 1.5 to 3 million children in the Philippines have a parent living abroad. Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) parents may not be physically present to help their children prepare their back-to-school checklist, but their endless support has kept their kids in school, with research showing that remittances have been shown to increase school attendance. For OFW parents, the opening of the new school year also means an important time for remittances, with the enrollment season marked annually as one of the busiest times to send money back home. In 2018 alone, OFWs sent a record-breaking amount of nearly $34 billion in remittances.

Online money transfer service WorldRemit has always supported OFWs and their dreams of providing a good education for their loved ones. Dayanara Torres, mother-of-two and WorldRemit Ambassador, is glad to give her voice to the cause.

“I’m so happy to be working with WorldRemit, a brand that values education and family,” the former beauty queen explains. “The Philippines has a very special place in my heart and I understand how important it is for OFWs to help their families back home, and remittances are helping to increase school attendance. The back to school season is an important time to send money to our families.”

WorldRemit offers low fees and exchange rates, providing OFWs less transaction costs and more savings that could be used to help with the school fees in the Philippines. According to WorldRemit research, switching from traditional over-the-counter international remittance services to digital money transfers could free up an additional US$825 million globally for families. Filipinos living in the USA, for example, could save over US$8 in transaction fees on average by sending money home for the back to school period with WorldRemit.

WorldRemit is a fast, trusted, and simple way for OFWs to send money home. Filipinos living in over 50 countries, including the US, Canada, and Australia, can instantly send money using the WorldRemit app or website. Recipients in the Philippines can receive money via bank transfer, mobile money, or as cash at over 15,000 locations across the country.

For more information about WorldRemit and the Back to School promotion, visit the WorldRemit website or Facebook page.