Some children are not attending classes as their parents have misused the $200 cash assistance. Opposition MP Jone Usamate revealed this during the Education Bill consultation in Lautoka last week.
“This is the issue that has been brought up all over Viti Levu,” Mr Usamate said.
“Assistance has been given but children have not been going to school and parents buying alcohol.
“This is an issue from the ground, from villages and from settlements.”
Meanwhile, lawyer Sainiana Radrodro echoed similar sentiments, saying that this was a similar issue raised by a lot of people on the abuse of the $200 cash assistance.
“Perhaps Government should consider another form of assistance rather than the $200 cash,” she said.
“I’m just saying it out loud, a lot of the $200 cash assistance can be useful because parents can go and buy their stationaries, lunch, and children getting a haircut.
“So, we need to be able to consider other options rather than allowing such a free rein and I know there are parents no longer living with their children but are claiming the $200. Whilst the grandparents, aunty, guardians looking after the child are deprived of that $200 to be able to assist the child that they are looking after.
“These are issues, perhaps the Ministry of Education can look at.”
