Government stands by cash back-to-school assistance, rejects voucher calls

The Government has defended its decision to continue with the $200 back-to-school cash assistance, saying it will not replace the scheme with education vouchers despite calls to replace cash assistance with vouchers.

The Fiji Council of Social Services had advocated for a voucher-based system that could only be redeemed for school-related items such as uniforms, stationery and fees, arguing this would reduce misuse and better protect the intent of the programme.

Responding to the concerns, Minister for Finance Esrom Immanuel said the Government would retain the cash-based system, citing transparency and ease of access for families.

“Government will not replace the cash assistance by the education voucher,” Mr Immanuel said.

He said previous voucher schemes had created challenges and were more complicated to manage for both parents and authorities.

Mr Immanuel acknowledged that while most parents use the assistance responsibly, direct cash support allows families to meet their children’s school needs without restrictions that could delay access to help.

“We are considering to strengthen the programme, including a move away from paper-based applications to an electronic system,” he said.

He added that this “would improve efficiency and make the process smoother for parents”.

FCOSS has monitored how the assistance is accessed and used and has previously raised concerns about cases where funds were not spent on education-related items.

While ruling out a shift to vouchers for now, the Government says it will explore reforms to improve accountability and delivery, while ensuring families continue to receive support in a simple and accessible way.