SET program disburses school fees for 3849 secondary students [1]
Wednesday, May 25, 2022 - 20:50
First term school fees for 3849 secondary school students throughout Tonga are being paid under the World Bank's SET Project.
A total of $962,250 pa'anga was disbursed from the World Bank's SET Project on 23 May, to pay the Term 1 fees for eligible secondary students of disadvantaged families.
This project implemented by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Education is made under the project's Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Program for disadvantaged families.
The eligible secondary student beneficiaries from 2173 households across Tonga are receiving the financial assistance. The students are from all schools, both government and church.
Eligible households with up to three students will receive a direct deposit of $250 per student each term into their bank accounts.
Of the total 3849 secondary student beneficiaries, 1996 are studying in Tongatapu, 839 in Vava’u, 495 in Ha’apai, 365 in Eua and 154 students in Niuafo’ou and Niuatoputapu.
The disbursement coincided with the resumption of all secondary school levels on 23 May.
Dr Fotu Fisi’iahi, CEO of Ministry of Internal Affairs said that the term payment had been disbursed to all banks on the afternoon of 23 May.
"I would like to apologize to all our parents for the long wait. To all our students, I wish you the best as you return to school.”
He urged beneficiaries’ parents and guardians make the most of the SET Project funding opportunity.
“Parents please ensure that the money is properly spent for educational purposes, your children are attending school and are well supported to succeed in their educational goals.”
Although, MIA and SET Project had scheduled Term 1 payments to be made in February, the impact of the volcanic eruption and Covid-19 on education in the last months made this impossible.
SET Project Manager Lilieta Takau said, in response to the natural disasters and COVID19, the number of beneficiaries had increased this year from 3777 in Term 4, 2021, to 3849 this term.