With only two weeks to the start of the new school year, parents in the upper Naitasiri area are still trying to come to terms as to how they will get their children to school.

Fijivillage spoke to some parents in the area and many raised the issue that they have contacted their relatives who are working to help them in preparing their children to go back to school.

These parents said they have no other choice as majority of their crops, which was set aside to be sold to cover their children's back to school costs, were destroyed during Cyclone Mick.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Filipe Bole said as distribution of free textbooks continue in the Eastern Division, their main focus at this stage is to ensure primary students in rural areas get their textbooks before the school year starts.

Bole added they will relook at the matter of assistance once distribution starts for schools in the urban areas.

The new school year for 2010 is on January 26.