The Ministry of Education has disclosed that 9,800 data-related issues emerged during the processing of the $200 Back-to-School assistance, significantly delaying payments to families in need. Addressing the situation, Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro indicated that these delays primarily arose from inaccurate or incomplete information provided by parents at the school level, rather than indicating a lack of diligence from officials.
Out of the 9,800 problematic applications, the Ministry has managed to verify and clear 5,507 cases, which have now been sent to the Ministry of Finance for payment. According to breakdowns shared by the Ministry, progress has been made in resolving issues: 3,811 cases with multiple names linked to a single phone number were resolved, 352 private school-related issues were corrected, 91 incorrect phone numbers fixed, and 237 previously overlooked missed payments have been identified and returned for processing.
In a concerted effort to address the backlog, Ministry teams have also manually cleaned up 1,142 applications with inaccurate or incomplete information and processed an additional 1,016 manual entries that were submitted to headquarters. Minister Radrodro emphasized that the processing of payments is exclusively managed by the Ministry of Finance, which can only occur after thorough verification checks are completed.
Another significant challenge highlighted by Mr. Radrodro is the difficulty in reaching parents for verification. He noted, “A significant portion of remaining delays is due to parents not answering calls or having diverted numbers when our helpdesk attempts verification.”
Despite the hurdles, the Ministry confirmed that Batch 2, which encompasses more than 1,000 applications, was paid out yesterday, with ongoing work dedicated to resolving the remaining cases throughout the week. Mr. Radrodro reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring every child receives the support they need, stating, “But the process starts at the school gate. Accuracy at the outset is essential to ensure families receive their assistance on time.”
This situation highlights the importance of accurate data submission by families, which can significantly expedite the assistance process. The continued efforts of the Ministry to clear up the backlog reflect a dedication to improving service delivery, ensuring that families receive the necessary financial support as they prepare for the school year.