Unsure if the $200 back-to-school assistance would arrive on time, Mere Mata Tuiserene and her husband used their own money to buy school supplies for their four children.
“We decided to buy our children’s school stuff with the money we had because we were not sure whether we would receive the assistance,” Ms Tuiserene said.
One child is in Year 11, another in Year 9, while the younger ones are in Years 4 and 3.
The family had submitted forms last year but received no clear answers despite visits to the Divisional Education Office.
She said they did not receive any payment.
Questions sent to Education Minister Aseri Radrodro remain unanswered.
Divisional Education Office executive officer Jaucoro Sucu said delays were due to incomplete forms, unregistered numbers, and updates to mobile contacts. He confirmed most children affected are now included in upcoming batches for payment.
