THE leader of the Parliamentary Independent Group Dr Derek Sikua has called on the government through the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) to introduce other scholarship schemes in 2017.
This was in view of the recent media debate regarding the 2016 SIG scholarship awards.
In a statement yesterday, the former education minister said, the MEHRD must proceed with a thorough investigation of other schemes or options for funding tertiary scholarships.
“Solomon Islanders who wish to undertake pre-service or in-service Tertiary Education and Training opportunities locally or abroad would then have the option of taking up such schemes apart from the current SIG or donor fully funded scholarship awards.
“These schemes should also be available to Public Servants, teachers as well as those who are employed in the private sector, NGOs and Churches.
”As the demand for higher education and the accompanying costs increases, other countries in the region and indeed the world have already moved away from fully funded government awards or relying on donor scholarship to loans schemes or partially funded awards,” Dr Sikua stated.
He said Solomon Islands remain one of the few countries still stuck with the practice of awarding fully funded scholarships.
“Whilst the SIG/MEHRD can still award fully funded scholarships to applicants that strictly fulfill the selection criteria to undertake studies that fall within the priority areas of the country’s skills needs as may be determined by the MDPAC’s annual opportunity list, the remaining applicants must be considered under other schemes.
“On the other hand, scholarship seekers themselves may opt to take up such schemes,” the leader of the parliamentary independent group said, in the statement.
Meanwhile, Solomon Star understands that, the government has already mandated the MEHRD in mid-June 2015 to investigate the various options or schemes for funding scholarships and report back to Cabinet for approval and implementation of the preferred options.
By RONALD TOITO’ONA
