School of hard knocks: Aussie parents spend big on kid’s school tech

By Mozo Editorial · · 2 min read
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Children throwing their schoolbags in the air, potentially damaging their technology which their parents may have to replace at great personal cost.

Here’s an idea: let’s take hundreds of kids, and give them all thousands of dollar’s worth of fragile technology. Surely nothing could go wrong there, right? Teenagers, after all, are renowned for being cool, calm and careful, and never acting impulsively. 

If that doesn’t sound quite right to you, Mozo’s latest research has unearthed the staggering costs of school tech. Each year, parents are dishing out a colossal $960 million - almost one billion dollars, on replacing and repairing their kid’s technology needs.

That's roughly equivalent to 768,000 new iPhones, the GDP of Vanuatu, or about four full tanks of petrol these days.

Beyond that net spending on technology, 52% of parents reported that their kid had lost or broken one of their devices in the last year. It seems that Aussie kids are still prone to leaving things on the bus, or treating their school bag like the Olympic hammer-throw.

Between laptops, tablets and phones, 37% of parents refuse to purchase ‘top of the line’ devices, wisely imagining that a brand new iPad might not last too long out in the playground. Almost two thirds (63%) of parents felt like they had to spend more on technology every year, as the educational experience continues to be enhanced by tech.

Looking after your school technology

With all of that vulnerable tech out there, Mozo spokesman Tom Godfrey had this to say:

“With the cost of repairing and replacing lost tech hitting home, it pays to check your home and contents insurance policy to make sure you have personal contents or personal effects cover.” 

Godfrey also said that “Generally, this type of cover will insure you against lost, stolen, or damaged items outside your home. It’s also important to let your insurance provider know about any new device purchases and get the products listed on your policy.” 

For more information on home and contents insurance, visit: https://mozo.com.au/insurance/home-insurance.

School Tech Tips

  • Compare prices and check for online deals before purchasing new devices
  • Set up location sharing on your child's device so you can track down lost devices
  • If you fear a device has been stolen, consider remotely erasing data to protect personal information
  • If your child needs an upgrade, see if you can trade in an old device for a discount
  • Consider an insurance policy with personal contents or personal effects cover
  • Ensure your devices are listed on your policy

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