Paying for the school year in Cape Verdean families
In Cape Verde, public basic schooling is free, but uniforms, textbooks, transport and private schools weigh on families; FICASE helps the poorest, while others rely on savings, diaspora transfers, microcredit or a small bank loan.
What schooling really costs in Cape Verde
Even in state schools, the new year means buying uniforms, exercise books, textbooks and bags, often imported and therefore expensive in escudos. A family with three children at school in Praia must find a large sum in September compared with an average wage.
FICASE and school social support
The Cape Verdean foundation for school social action supports pupils from low-income families with canteens, materials, transport and grants. Aid is targeted first at families listed in the single social register and at the most disadvantaged islands.
The Escola de Todos programme
The government promotes the Escola de Todos programme as a pillar of inclusive schooling from pre-school to secondary level. Parents should ask the school or the municipal education office which forms of aid are actually available to them.
Private schools in Praia and Mindelo
Private and church schools in Praia and Mindelo charge monthly and enrolment fees. These payments run through the whole year and represent a lasting burden, to be built into the budget before turning to any form of credit.
Diaspora transfers for the new school year
In many families, the start of the school year is paid for by a parent living in Portugal, France or the United States. Transfers rise in August, but sending fees and delays mean it is wiser to plan ahead than wait until the last minute.
Back-to-school microcredit from cooperatives
Part of the cooperatives' consumer lending pays for the new school year. Trading mothers who belong to an institution, presented on our page about Cape Verdean microfinance, can obtain a small amount repaid from sales over the following months.
Overdraft or bank card
Employees whose salary is paid into a bank sometimes use their overdraft or card to cover September purchases. The fees and interest of this option, described on our page about credit cards in Cape Verde, should be compared with a small loan.
A small bank loan spread over the year
Some banks accept a low-value personal loan for the new school year, repaid over ten or twelve months. Check that the instalment remains compatible with any monthly private school fees the family is already paying.
School transport on the rural islands
On Santo Antão or in the interior of Santiago, getting to secondary school may require a daily minibus or lodging in town. These regular costs sometimes exceed the price of school supplies and must appear in the annual budget.
After the liceu: preparing for university costs
Families also need to prepare for life after secondary school, with university fees, housing and sometimes a move to Portugal. Existing grants and lines are covered on our page about student loans in Cape Verde, and saving early leaves several years of margin.
Saving in escudos before September
Paying a monthly sum into a savings account or a rotating savings group from January avoids borrowing when school starts. Cape Verdean banks offer simple savings accounts that can be opened with a CNI and a NIF.
Informal lenders at the end of summer
In August, informal lenders offer quick advances to hard-pressed parents at unregulated rates. These debts add to other expenses and can lead parents to hand over their bank card as security, a very risky practice.
Preparing to fund the school year in Cape Verde
- List in escudos the uniforms, textbooks, supplies, transport and private school fees for each child.
- Check with the school or FICASE whether the family qualifies for school support.
- Let emigrant relatives know well in advance if their contribution is expected for September.
- Compare overdraft, card, microcredit and small bank loan on their total cost.
- Choose a repayment that ends before the following school year so debts do not pile up.
School expenses and Cape Verdean ways to fund them
| Expense | Usual solution | What makes it vary |
|---|---|---|
| Uniforms and supplies | Savings, diaspora transfers | Number of children and school level |
| Textbooks | FICASE aid for eligible families | Year group and reuse of books |
| Private school fees | Monthly budget, small bank loan | School and city |
| Transport and lodging | Social aid, family budget | Distance and island of residence |
| Cost of a microloan | Microfinance cooperative | Amount, term, institution |
Useful documents for school aid or credit in Cape Verde
- Applying parent's CNI and NIF
- School enrolment certificate for each child
- Single social register certificate if available
- Payslips or proof of trading activity
- Invoice or list of private school fees
Parents' budgeting mistakes at the start of the Cape Verdean school year
- Borrowing every year for school without having repaid the previous year, which creates a permanent debt.
- Waiting until the last day to approach FICASE, when aid follows a calendar and lists drawn up in advance.
- Handing your bank card to an informal lender as security for an August advance.
- Leaving out the transport or lodging costs of a secondary pupil from the rural islands in the annual budget.
The school year in Cape Verde: parents' questions
Do you pay for state schools in Cape Verde?
Public basic education is free, but families pay for uniforms, textbooks, supplies and sometimes transport. Private schools also charge enrolment fees and monthly payments that vary according to the school and the city.
Who can receive FICASE school aid?
FICASE targets pupils from low-income families, relying in particular on the single social register. It covers canteens, materials, transport and grants, and the school or education office explains the procedure to follow.
Is there a special back-to-school bank loan in Cape Verde?
We have not found any national offer reserved for the new school year. Banks tend to offer a small personal loan or an overdraft instead, and microfinance cooperatives provide small consumer loans.
How can Cape Verdean parents avoid borrowing for school?
Saving every month from January, in an account or a rotating savings group, makes it possible to gather the sum needed. Passing textbooks between siblings and arranging the contribution of emigrant relatives early also reduces the need.