Tertiary institutions will now be required to inform the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Service (TSLS) about “at-risk” bonded students who do not meet academic requirements. This is one of the key changes in the Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service (Budget Amendment) Bill 2024. The amendments include clearing former TSLS students’ bonds and penalizing students legally bound to TSLS but who have no intention of fulfilling their bond obligations.
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro stated that “at-risk” students are those who start failing assignments and assessments early on. He noted that this measure would enable tertiary institutions to provide support and remedial programs aimed at helping students succeed.
The minister expressed hope that this would decrease failure and non-completion rates among students, highlighting that $160 million has been wasted by 21,685 students who did not complete their programs. He called this a misuse of state resources and emphasized that the government is implementing new provisions to address this issue.
The reinstatement of penalties is intended to ensure that those sponsored by taxpayers fulfill their obligation to work in Fiji, whether in government ministries or other local institutions. Radrodro pointed out that some students, midway through their bond period, are tempted to accept offers to work abroad and simply pay off the remaining balance. The imposed penalties aim to deter this behavior and encourage students to serve their full bond period locally.
Radrodro also mentioned that graduates looking to migrate or work overseas would need to serve their full bond period first. If they choose not to fulfill this obligation, they would be required to pay the remaining balance plus a 50 percent penalty before being granted permission to travel abroad.
Additionally, Radrodro addressed issues of institutions giving students incorrect information to boost enrollment numbers. Some students were charged fees for programs not covered by scholarships, or given offer letters indicating scholarship eligibility when they did not meet the criteria.
To address this, TSLS is conducting workshops for tertiary institutions to clarify scholarship eligibility criteria. Furthermore, TSLS will be able to take action against institutions providing false information. Radrodro welcomed healthy competition among tertiary institutions while acknowledging the widespread marketing efforts seen before the start of semesters.