Govt SINU sponsored students disallowed entitlement
SOLOMON Islands Government (SIG) sponsored students studying at our state-owned university have been banned from meals and boarding privileges due to unsettled arrears by the government as of last semester.
However, they are only allowed to attend classes.
Its understood government’s arrears with Solomon Islands National University (SINU) runs into millions of dollars.
SINU Financial Department in a letter dated Monday 17th July issued to all the government funded students stated;
“This letter serves to inform all SIG sponsored students that due to SIG failure to settle your first semester meals and boarding fees for 2017, you will not allow to apply and access to meals and boarding as per your entitlement under the SIG scholarship until your sponsor (SIG) fully settle your dues.
“We apologize for any inconveniences this may have caused,” the letter reads.
One of the female nursing students speaking on condition of anonymity yesterday said this has really affected their studies.
“We enter campus this week just to receive our confirmation letters but will have to travel back home after the lessons.
“Seems like most of us will be a day scholar student for now,” she said.
“For us the final year students, this will really affect us.
“We are now into the practicum stage, and if our privileges and and allowances are not settled on time, then our dispatching to the clinics and health centers will not happen,” she added.
A close source within the SINU finance department has told the paper, government has owed the national university close to $18.2million in outstanding areas from last semester and even the previous semesters.
This includes meals and accommodation for the government funded students.
“Government funded students have been enjoying free meals and accommodation throughout the first semester and its affecting the university’s operation.”
The insider said, even the quarterly grant by the government to support the university in its operation were not forthcoming for the first two quarters.
“This is a government owned university, yet it is having difficulty supporting its own institution. And this has affected the university’s operation very much because we depend on the tuitions and grants.”
Apart from the nursing students a majority of the education students undertaking teaching at Panatina campus are also affected.
Its understood the currently financial situation affecting the government has affected most of the government funded students studying in-country and abroad.
Attempts to talk with the National Training Unit Director and the responsible financial officers last night were unsuccessful.
By TEDDY KAFO & MOFFAT MAMU
