All primary and secondary school text books to be provided by the schools

The Ministry of Education has confirmed that all primary and secondary school text books are to be provided by the schools and parents are not to pay for it.

Fijivillage has been informed that some schools between the Suva to Nausori corridor are asking parents to buy certain textbooks either from outside or from the school.

Minister for Education Aiyaz Sayed‑Khaiyum says that they have been informed that six schools who receive grants to buy special textbooks from the Ministry have been asking parents to pay for those textbooks and he urges parents to report this to the Ministry.

He adds that when the team from the Ministry of Education had gone to distribute textbooks, some schools were closed.

The Minister for Education has also highlighted that there have been incidents where some parents are misusing their children’s subsidized e‑ticketing cards and some have been using their cards late at night.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the bus companies and the Ministry have come up with a solution where the machines will only pick the blue subsidized cards for students between 5am to 7pm.