Sainiani Boila 
The iTaukei Land Trust Board received 7,043 applications this year for its Education Assistance Payouts for iTaukei minors.
In a statement, the TLTB highlighted that this represents a significant increase from the 1,187 applications received last year when the assistance program was first introduced.
Among the 7,043 applications, 4,246 were from primary school students, 2,795 from secondary school students, and 2 from tertiary students.
However, 1,827 applications were rejected due to non-compliance issues.
These issues included minors not registered in the Vola ni Kawa Bula, inaccurate information about the minors, invalid bank accounts, and other related problems.
At the close of the application period, a total of $2.2 million was disbursed to minors to assist with their back-to-school preparations this year.
The TLTB remains committed to transparency and efficiency in its services, ensuring that iTaukei landowners receive the support they need to thrive.
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