Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/378361
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2014 News MIRIAM DALLI THE government will be paying a €400 one-time supplement for the first and second children of families earning less than €11,000, condi- tional on 95% school attendance and full immunisation. Under the new child supplement, these families will be paid €400 for their first child, €400 for their second child, and another €200 for every other child in the form of a supplementary grant. This will be given over and above the customary children's allowance. According to social solidarity minister Michael Farrugia, the new child supplement will be condition- al on children having a 95% school attendance record and that all chil- dren are fully immunised. Farrugia did not state the number of families that would benefit from the supplementary grant, but said the total spend would amount to €9 million. "Education is key to fighting pov- erty and we want to mitigate risks of more children falling into the pov- erty trap or entering the vicious cir- cle of dependency on social benefits. The supplement should help those families most in need and ensure that the minors do not miss school without reason," he said. The 95% attendance rate was de- cided to match the 96% rate of at- tendance reached by students in in- dependent and Church schools. In collaboration with the social solidarity, the health and the educa- tion ministries, the government will also be providing social assistance and support to families facing seri- ous problems – such as physical or mental illness – which cause their children to miss school. If the measure proves to be effec- tive, the government may decide to issue the supplement every year. As from this scholastic year, children will no longer be allowed to miss any school days without presenting a medical certificate. The decision was taken after the level of school absenteeism rose excessively in government schools when compared to independent and Church schools. Statistics pro- vided by the Ministry for Educa- tion revealed that 235 out of 13,748 children attending public primary schools, each missed school for 31 days and more. Farrugia also said that families would be receiving the customary children's allowances this month before the school term begins. The measure was first implemented last year. Some 68,110 children receive the allowance, with the government allocating €43.5 million for 2014. Families getting out of the pov- erty trap According to the family minister, the average income for every family member has increased by 5.6% to €650 when compared to the previ- ous three years. Reiterating that the Opposition was incorrect over its interpreta- tion of the poverty rate in Malta, Farrugia pointed out that the rate of persons at risk of poverty in- creased from 20.3% in 2009 to 23.1% in 2012. This translated into an increase of 4,000 persons every year. Farrugia said several government initiatives, including utility tariffs reduction, free childcare, increase in stipends and stipends paid to re- peaters among others, are giving a push to the fight against poverty. 24 €9 million in new child supplement for low-income families Michael Farrugia