Independent parliamentarian Mosese Bulitavu has praised the Coalition Government’s $27.4 million investment in a Merit Based Higher Education – Level 7 Scheme.
In his remarks in Parliament last week, he highlighted that the funding will provide for 700 awards under this new initiative, which he considers an improvement over the previous administration’s offerings.
“These awards will specifically include 100 reserved for rural and maritime Year 13 students,” he stated.
Bulitavu emphasized the significance of this decision, noting that under the former administration, certain cutoff marks excluded students from rural and maritime regions.
“We are grateful for the 100 awards set aside from the total of 700 for students in these areas,” he added.
He pointed out that the quality of secondary education in rural and maritime schools often differs from those in urban areas.
Additionally, Bulitavu commended the Coalition Government for allocating $1 million to the Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service (TSLS) for an apprenticeship scheme.
He explained that the program will cover 50 percent of tuition fees, which he believes will motivate employers to compensate apprenticeship students, either by covering expenses or providing salary supplements.