208,000 applications have been received by the Ministry of Finance for the $200 Back to School Support for this year.
Permanent Secretary for Finance Shiri Gounder says this is slightly lower than the 223,000 applications received last year.
Gounder says that the assessment for the applications are currently underway.
He says a total payout of around $42 million is expected to start from next Wednesday.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, had earlier stated that this initiative reflects the Coalition Government's commitment to supporting education and making sure that our children get all the support they need.
He says a lot of parents struggle to find funding to support their children, and as a government, they feel this is a very important initiative.
