Parents urge FENC to improve process

PARENTS who didn’t qualify for the Foundation for the Education of Needy Children (FENC) in Fiji school assistance this year have pleaded with the organisation to provide a better platform to lodge applications.

The parents in Bua and far ends of Macuata whose applications didn’t get approved claim they have wasted bus fare and food expenses as the process was manual which meant long queues.

John Cox, who travelled from Dreketi, Macuata with his grandchildren for a few days to lodge their applications, said he had spent a lot on bus fares and lunches.

“I had to bring them because they needed to provide me with information for the application forms and that included bus fares and our lunch money,” he said.

“This wasn’t just one day because we had to collect a few documents and also the lines were so long and packed with parents so it wasn’t easy.

“These parents who travel from far villages have a bus to catch back. We arrive in town around 10am and by 2pm our last bus leaves town so we have only four hours to do all this work which is why it takes a few days for us to return.”

Another parent, Premila Wati, said her husband had travelled to Labasa Town from Bua to collect the forms because they didn’t know whether they could collect from Nabouwalu.

“A few days it took them to complete everything and lodge their applications and it’s not approved but we have used a lot of money on bus fares and food.”

Other parents who wished to remain anonymous have pleaded with FENC to work on a system that would reach and best serve rural parents.

FENC, in its response, said the journey had not been an easy one as they encountered customer frustrations through unwarranted statements.

“Applications that opened on September 18th closed on 30th October and the response was massive. There has been a threefold increase in the number of applications,” FENC said.

“The back to school assistance by FENC Fiji is through providing a school bag including stationery and books relevant to their new class year, unlike the financial assistance of $200 per child announced by the Government.”