Staff from Fiji's Education Ministry are under investigation by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption.
FBC reports the Finance Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, as saying the civil servants deliberately delayed the Free Text Book Scheme.
Photo: RNZI Sally Round
He says the ministry requested the tender period for text book printing be waived, three days before school was due to start on January the 15th.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum says it was unacceptable that the ministry only sought quotes a month in advance, and says two of the three companies that provided quotes were also responsible for delays last year.
He says the Ministry is now expecting text book printing to take another three weeks.
The Minister, Dr Mahendra Reddy, has been away, but has come under fire on social media for overseeing the blunder two years in a row.
The Fiji Sun reports today that FICAC is also investigating the Health Ministry.
