I felt like being conned to buy items that were totally unnecessary that were stated as *compulsory items* in the booklist given by the school.


When my first kid enter primary school, there was this set of Chinese word flash cards listed under the compulsory item section of the booklist. And if I remembered correctly, there's also a set of plastic sleeves (little plastic folder to protect each individual flash cards) also under compulsory items.

I can imagine some not so well to do family, struggling pay for these unnecessary stuffs. Those who can't read will ask the shop keeper what to buy, and they will tell u it's compulsory to buy almost everything on the list. When I told the shop keeper I don't want those items, the sales boy sulkily recalculated the total cost of the books then told his colleague 'aiyah so troublesome got to put back'.

This year my 2nd Son in P4 is required to purchase a literature pack consist of the story book: Charlie and the chocolate factory, plus one workbook. Since I already have 2 copy of that book at home, I asked the shop tender if I could just purchase the workbook alone. The book is not like an edited version made into a textbook but the exact same Charlie Chocolate factory story book that I got at home. The shop tender at the school bookshop(Pacific bookstores) insist that they only sell it as a set. Ask her to help me ask head office she say she just shop tender. Dunno anything.

No choice but to buy coz they don't sell these workbooks in any other bookshops.

Feel so helpless. Can complain MOE?