$200 recipients skip exams: Education Minister

A good number of students who received the Government’s $200 Back‑to‑School Assistance last year did not attend school regularly and failed to sit their external examinations, says Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro.

Mr Radrodro said this defeated the purpose of the assistance.

The ministry has raised concerns that many students enrolled, received the assistance at the beginning of the year, but did not attend classes and later failed their external examinations.

The majority of the 223,000 students who submitted applications for Government assistance last year were approved.

By December last year and into the beginning of this year, the ministry received about 205,000 applications for this year’s assistance.

“Our concern was that a large number of students enrolled last year, and a large number of them didn’t sit their external examinations,” Mr Radrodro said.

“Some parents may have applied for the $200 assistance for their children to be registered, but they did not attend school throughout the year.”

Mr Radrodro said some parents had also complained that when they attempted to re‑enrol their children, teachers were reluctant to accept them.

“When we asked the schools, they said the children had enrolled but did not attend school throughout the year,” he said.

“We know that some parents enrolled their children only to receive the assistance. Then, the following year, they wait again for the $200 assistance.

“Parents, guardians and teachers must complete the forms honestly and accurately.

“Government provides this assistance because children and parents face difficulties in buying school uniforms and stationery,” he said.

“This support is meant to help every child access better education.”