Data Errors Stall $200 Back-to-School Aid, Says Education Minister

Education Minister Aseri Radrodro has addressed the delays in the distribution of $200 back-to-school assistance payments, attributing them primarily to inaccuracies in the information provided by parents. He emphasized that while the government has allocated the funds, erroneous applications that include incorrect phone numbers, unregistered SIM cards, and missing FEMIS ID or BRN numbers are preventing the processing of payments. In particular, he noted issues such as multiple names linked to a single phone number, which automatically trigger fraud prevention mechanisms within the system, halting payments until rectified.

Radrodro revealed that ministry staff have proactively reached out by making over 3,000 calls to parents in an effort to confirm details. He urged families to double-check their information when submitting applications at the school level to streamline the process. The Ministry of Education has identified a total of 9,800 data discrepancies, with 5,507 applications now verified and forwarded to the Ministry of Finance for payment.

Several issues have already been addressed, including resolving instances of multiple names associated with one phone number and discrepancies related to private school applications. Radrodro stated, “We are committed to every child. But the process starts at the school gate with a pen and a form. Accurate lodging is the only way to ensure timely payment. We ask for cooperation and accuracy, rather than misplaced frustration.”

Furthermore, the Minister clarified that the responsibility for handling payments lies solely with the Ministry of Finance, subsequent to its verification process. Batch 2 payments covering over 1,000 applications were successfully processed on Wednesday, and efforts are ongoing to resolve the remaining cases.

Radrodro is urging parents to ensure accurate information is provided to prevent any additional delays in receiving the much-needed back-to-school assistance. This call for collaboration reinforces the importance of accuracy in administrative processes to guarantee swift financial support for families.