Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, has issued a stern warning to retailers against unethical practices such as increasing the prices of school stationery and uniforms.
This caution follows the government’s recent payment of more than $40 million in education assistance, aimed at supporting parents as they prepare their children for the new school year.
Prasad says the government is closely monitoring the market to ensure fair practices.
“Don’t use this opportunity to raise prices just because the government is putting this, injecting more than $40 million into the pockets of our parents. Of course, there will be some unscrupulous traders, and we will be monitoring this very carefully, and I urge retailers not to be unscrupulous.”
Professor Prasad says retailers must consider the challenges faced by families relying on the Back to School Assistance to prepare their children for the academic year while they also make enough sales and profit.
Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro also addressed parents, urging them to use the education assistance responsibly and for its intended purpose.
“So that is the whole intention, and we plead that the assistance be given and be utilized for the purpose that it was given for, which is to assist the students, prepare the students, and get them back to school.”
The Back to School assistance has already been disbursed to support 200,000 students, with additional payments expected once the results for Year 12 students are released.