[File Photo]

The $200 Back-to-School payment for children in families earning less than $50,000 in combined household income has commenced.

Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary Shiri Gounder has confirmed this.

The ministry has also confirmed that assistance is also open to guardians.

Applications for Back-to-School assistance for parents and guardians close tomorrow.

This $200 assistance is disbursed through the Digicel MyCash and Vodafone MPaisa.

Gounder says a statement will be issued once the full payment is executed.

The government budgeted $50 million for this assistance program and this has been done through the redeployment of funds in the current budget.