About 84 students from the Roseau River First Nation are still waiting to attend their first day of school.
That's because the Border Land School Division wants Roseau to pay a $141 000 bill for education services that has been outstanding since 1999.
Roseau River Chief Terrance Nelson says the bill was incurred by a previous Roseau administration that failed to pay the bill.
Nelson gives his assurance that they will clear the debt.
The band has applied for a bank loan.
He says however, in the meantime Roseau students remain at home waiting to start the new school year.