Fiji announces school support program

　　SUVA, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Fijian government has allocated 40 million Fijian dollars (around 17.5 million U.S. dollars) in the 2025 budget to continue its Back-to-School Support Program, reaffirming its commitment to assisting families with educational expenses.

　　Families earning a combined annual income of 50,000 Fijian dollars (around 22,000 U.S. dollars) or less, with children from early childhood education up to Year 13, are eligible for the assistance, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) reported on Wednesday.

　　According to Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad, the payments will begin from January next year.

　　The program, first introduced last year, aims to ease financial burdens of the above-mentioned families, especially after the holiday season.

　　More than 436,000 students benefited from this program over the last two years, with a total payout of 87.2 million Fijian dollars (around 38.2 million U.S. dollars), the FBC report said. ■