A shopper buying school uniforms at U Lay Gyi school accessories shop at Bogyoke Market. Pic: Hein Latt Aung

As the new school term draws nearer and students begin to worry that their holidays are coming to a close, parents have started to look for school accessories for their children to use in the year ahead.

In one respect the modern age has made the lives of parents much easier, no longer must they labour through the process of making or ordering school uniforms from tailors.

Daw Mya Mya San is the mother of a Grade 10 student and says readymade uniforms save her lots of time.

“We had to wait at least two weeks for uniforms in the past but now it is far more convenient because we can buy readymade uniforms. All we need to know is our children's clothing size and what design their school allows,” she says.

Most schools restrict the designs students are allowed to wear but uniform shops carry a variety of stock and can cater to nearly everyone.

One such shop is U Lay Gyi in Bogyoke Aung San Market. Owner U Myint Thein says his shop has enough styles to suit anybody.

“In my shop we have many kinds of uniforms, ranging from Myanmar jackets with buttons to jackets with an overlapping flap. We also stock a variety of longyis too,” he says.

Customers can choose from uniform designs allowed by their school, with many sizes available at a reasonable price.

Another important accessory for students is a schoolbag, vital for ferrying books and lunches.

“Backpacks with Spiderman, Winnie th Pooh and Barbie pictures have been overwhelmingly popular with shoppers recently. They come in a number of different colours and most of them only cost about K6000,” says U Zaw Myo Paing, owner of Super Fashion bag shop on the second floor of Yuzana Plaza.
According to U Zaw Myo Paing, most students at high school prefer shoulder bags over western-style backpacks.

“The brands Diesel, Boneno and Fenzty are the most requested in our shop. Fenzty bags cost around K10,000, which is more expensive than other brands,” he says.

Given the wear and tear that children put on their shoes, parents should think ahead and buy now instead of waiting until June when everyone will be looking for the same things.

“Students usually choose brands like Aerosoft, Adda, Kito or Gambol for the rainy season because their prices are decent and they are durable shoes,” says a spokesperson for Wai De shoe shop.

Another brand, Scholl, continues to attract buyers who consider the shoes both reliable and fashionable.

“New Scholl designs attract me but I can’t keep buying new ones every year. Still, I think these shoes are worth paying for because they are tough and match well with either my school uniform or casual clothes,” says Grade 11 student, Ma Hnin Thidar Aye.

Some schools even go so far as to designate the colour of the slippers their female schoolgirls can wear, but most choose white.

“When the school term nears, simply designed white slippers are the most commonly requested style,” says Daw Khin Aye, a spokesperson for Yinn Mar slipper shop.

Stationery also plays a vital role as students stock up on pens, pencils, erasers and correction pens before the start of the new term.

Every year new brands and accessories enter the market and vie to attract the attention of buyers.

“There are many brands of exercise books to choose from but in our shop we sell only Unicolor and Grade (1) brands. In our store we will offer a discount if someone buys enough books,” says Daw Khin Hla Win, manager of Phoe Pyone Cho stationery shop.

For the rainy season a critical item for students is the humble umbrella. Many parents try to buy them early to avoid missing out on the best designs and the lowest prices.

“An umbrella costs between K1000 and K5000 depending on the brand and design. The brands customers request in our shop are Yamasu, Osaka, Nikko, Yuriko and Mikko,” says Daw Poe Wah, owner of Shwe Thizin umbrella shop at Yuzana plaza.

Before the school year begins, some supermarkets in Yangon, including Sein Gay Har, offer promotions on school accessories. To take advantage of these sales, money-conscious buyers should keep their eyes peeled.