The Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro, has emphasized the importance of a collaborative approach among universities, stakeholders, and the Tertiary Scholarship and Loan Service (TSLS), stating that students should not be seen merely as financial resources.
His remarks came in response to comments by Avinay Kumar, head of Student Service at TSLS, who pointed out that students often face challenges in securing sponsorships due to communication issues between universities and TSLS. During the recent launch of the TSLS Handbook and Stakeholder Awareness Workshop in Suva, Kumar shared instances where changes in academic program names led to confusion.
Kumar explained that when a program’s title changes—for example, from Professional Accounting to Bachelor of Professional Accounting—students receive offer letters that do not match the information held by TSLS, which recognizes only the original title. This misalignment has caused many students to experience difficulties in enrolling in the correct programs.
Minister Radrodro expressed his concern for students’ welfare, emphasizing the need for clear enrollment guidelines and proper programs, rather than treating them as profit-generating entities. He highlighted ongoing policy initiatives aimed at improving TSLS based on student feedback, noting that some students do not complete their courses due to program availability issues.
The Minister affirmed the government’s commitment to reducing confusion surrounding sponsorship processes for students. He called for increased collaboration and discussions to find effective solutions to these challenges.