Ready for the New School Year? Here are 5 Important Things to Prepare Besides School Uniforms and Books

JAKARTA - Soon, the 2026/2027 new school year will begin. For mothers, this means one thing: the busy moment has come. Starting from hunting for new uniforms, completing school supplies, ensuring complete re-registration documents, to preparing the mental of the little one who will face the new school level or class.

But behind the seemingly simple checklist, there is one thing that often escapes attention - even by parents who have prepared everything from far in advance: long-term financial readiness for children's education.

Not just money for this birthday registration. But do we have a plan for the cost of education for children to college later?

Data from the Financial Services Authority (OJK) shows that the average school fees have increased by 10-15% per year. This means that the cost of entering elementary school today can be multiplied when they enter high school - let alone university. If you only rely on ordinary savings, the funds that have been collected for years are often not enough when the time comes.

Well, so that the preparations for this new school year are more thorough - not just about new bags and shoes - here are 5 things that every parent needs to have on the checklist:

1. Make sure the school documents and administration are complete from the start, don't wait for the deadline! Starting from birth certificates, family cards, to semester reports - prepare everything early so that the registration or re-registration process runs smoothly without drama.

2. Re-establish the child's routine before the first day of school. After a long vacation, the child's sleep and eating patterns are usually messy. Start to restore the daily rhythm 1-2 weeks before school starts, so that the first day does not feel heavy.

3. Prepare mentally, not just equipment. Going to class, changing schools, or meeting new friends - all of these can make children anxious. Invite them to talk openly about their feelings. Emotional support from parents is much more impactful than just one-way advice.

4. Separate the education fund position from daily savings. This is often missed. Many parents mix education funds with daily savings, so they are unknowingly used for other needs. Having a special position - no matter how small - will help you more disciplined in pursuing the target of your child's school fees in the future.

5. Make sure your child's education plan continues, no matter what. This is the part that is most often forgotten. We are busy preparing everything for the child, but what if something happens to us as breadwinners and parents? The child's education plan needs to be equipped with protection - so that funds are still available even if the family faces unexpected risks. Without thorough planning, education funds that have been set aside for years can be eroded for other urgent needs. Not infrequently, parents are forced to use emergency funds, liquidate other savings, and even disrupt the monthly budget to maintain the sustainability of the child's school.

Vivin Arbianti Gautama, Chief Customer Marketing Officer of Prudential Syariah, said, as a mother, we always want to give the best for our children. But often, long-term financial readiness is the last thing to be thought of in the midst of preparing for the new school year.

"In fact, having a structured plan and not burdening monthly expenses is very important - so that we can live calmly today without worrying about tomorrow," he said, Tuesday, May 5.

Planning for children's education ideally does not only rely on savings, but is also equipped with life insurance - so that the education plan continues even though the family faces various life risks, while preparing funds for children's education gradually starting from a comfortable nominal to the family's cash flow. In sharia life insurance, this protection is also based on the principle of mutual help through the tabarru' fund, where participants help each other when one family needs claim benefits. So, this new school year, don't just checklist uniforms and books. The checklist is also the future.

"Prudential Syariah is always accompanying the steps of Participants in every phase of their lives to achieve blessings in life and realize a bright future. With proper planning and comprehensive protection, every dream for your baby and your life goals can be achieved more optimally," concluded Vivin.