Fijians Flock to Receive $200 Assistance, Govt Urged to Consider Guardians
News of the coalition Government’s $200 education assistance spread like wild fire across the country as Fijians welcome Tuesday’s announcement to prepare for the 2023 school calendar.
Parents, children and guardians flocked to schools yesterday after the announcement on Tuesday. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Deputy PM and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad and the Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro jointly announced the initiative in Suva.
Mr Prasad, while urging Fijians to utilise the assistance, said distribution of grants would be given first to parents then guardians. Two organisations that deal with rural communities and children are calling on Government to allow guardians to have the same treatment as parents in the allocation of the assistance.
Save the Children Fiji and the Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) said they had been receiving calls for help from some guardians since the announcement.
Save The Children Fiji chief executive officer Shairana Ali said some children were under the care of guardians such as grandparents.
“We welcome the support rendered by Government. It is timely,” Ms Ali said.
“There are a lot of students who are under the care of their guardians. It is important that Government considers that as well. We are encouraging parents and those who meet the requirements to consult with their heads of school and fill the application form.”
Ms Ali said they had received requests for assistance from some members of the public for items such as school bags, stationery and uniforms.
“There are a lot of families that are struggling to put food on the table now with the fluctuating food prices,” she said.
“It has been very difficult for families to prepare children to go back to school.”
FCOSS executive director Vani
Catanasiga said the announcement was a surprise from Government.
“We did not have to call for it,” Ms Catanasiga said.
“The announcement has been received positively by our four divisions.”
She urges Government to include guardians when making payments.
FCOSS has members who help people in filling forms, especially those who would face technical difficulties.
“Would the Turaga-ni-Koro (village headman) and district officers be enough to sign the statutory declaration?” Ms Catanasiga asks.
Answered prayers
Meanwhile, Isei Matakarawa, a father of four said his prayers to provide good education for his children had been answered.
The assistance is for children whose parents earn a combined income of $50,000 or less annually. Mr Matakarawa is 48, and unemployed. He said sending his four daughters to school every year had always been his biggest challenge.
He joined the queue at Nabua Secondary School yesterday to get a Back to School Support Application Form.
He expects to collect $800 when payments from the assistance are scheduled to be rolled out from January 25.
“I am thankful to the coalition Government for this timely assistance,” he said.
“I face a lot of challenges in getting my children ready for a new school year because I do not work. Some of the things that affect students in not starting school on time are failure to get all school requirements on time such as uniforms, stationery and their footwear.
“I sell some produce from our backyard garden and do lawn cutting using my brushcutter machine to earn some money, but they would not be enough to buy my four children’s school items. “Many of us are facing a lot of challenges. Maybe this is the effect of the coronavirus pandemic, but this cash assistance will be of great help to many families. “Filling the form was easy and very convenient and there were not a lot of requirements,” he said.
He calls on parents not to abuse the assistance when cash payments would be rolled out from January 25.