Applications for the government’s $200 Back to School Assistance Programme for the 2027 academic year opened today, with eligible families having until 27th November to apply.

Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro launched the programme this morning.

He says the assistance aims to ease the financial burden on parents and guardians preparing their children for the new school year.

The programme is open to eligible students from Early Childhood Education to Year 13 whose combined parental or guardian gross annual household income is $50,000 or less.

The government has allocated $40 million for the 2027 programme, which is expected to benefit more than 190,000 eligible students.

Parents and guardians must complete a separate application for each eligible child and submit the required supporting documents through their child’s school.

The assistance is paid per child, meaning a qualifying family with two eligible children will receive $400, while a family with three eligible children will receive $600.

Radrodro urged parents to apply early and ensure all information and payment details are accurate.

He stressed that no late applications will be accepted and applications will only be processed through the Fiji Education Management Information System and application must be submitted to the applicants school and not the Ministry of Education.