A TOTAL of 190 plus students with grade point average (GPA) above three as required by the Ministry of Education and Human Resources to qualify for pre-service scholarships have been left unplaced due to the lack of financial resources.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Mr Charles Viva made this revelation in an exclusive interview with Solomon Star yesterday.
This year the Solomon Islands Government only awarded 140 pre-service scholarships.
“The standard set by the Ministry to be able to qualify for scholarships is a GPA of 3.
“This year however, more than three hundred students have a GPA of 3 and above, however only 140 scholarships were available due to the lack of financial resources.
“The remaining 190 plus students have been left unplaced though they have such high GPA’s which can qualify them for any Universities abroad,” Mr Viva said.
Asked how the 140 successful applicants were selected?
Mr Viva explained that those selected and the scholarships awarded were according to areas (study programs) which are priority need in the country.
He said that applicants with the grades and that applied for one of these priority need areas were the once selected.
“The first and foremost criteria for students to be awarded scholarships are to have the GPA of 3 and then secondly, the Ministry will look at the country’s priority need areas,” the PS for Education said.
The scholarships awarded this year were in the areas of; Medicine, Pharmacy, Medical Lab Tech, Dentistry, Dental Therapist, Dental Surgery, Physiotherapist, Radiologist, Public Administration, Management, Accounting, Economics, Auditing, Sales/Marketing, Chef, Tourism Studies, Statistics/Cartography, Pop & Demography Studies, Computing Science, Information Systems/Tech, Law, Cartography/ Lithography, Surveyors, Land Use Management, Curriculum Development Studies, Librarians, Education, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Aircraft Mechanic, Mining Engineering, Communication Engineering, Geologist, Marine Training Cadets, Vetinary Science, Animal Science, Pasture, Horticulture, Farming Systems, Forestry, Environment/Conservation, Fisheries, Agriculture and Journalism.
“When applying for scholarships, the applicants were asked to choose whatever programs they wanted and it is required that their admissions into any of these Universities is also provided.
“Most of these students have admissions to various universities, however these admissions do not guarantee that you will be awarded scholarships from the government, it only certifies that you have a space to do the particular program you applied for in these institutions,” Mr Viva explained.
Mr Viva also clarified that students wishing to change programs would either have to re-appeal to the appeals committee or reapply.
“I have also advised NTU to provide counseling to these students who were awarded scholarships but wanting to change to other programs of their choice,” he said.
Mr Viva said that this year’s results of students without scholarships is a major problem the country faces today, however adding that it is a good problem.
“We anticipated and expected that such a problem would occur this year and the years to come.
“It is a good problem in the sense that such good results show that our students are really doing well academically.
“We have a lot of academic creams in this country having seen the results last year.
“Students have proved not only to themselves and their families but most of all to the ministry and the government that they are academically capable.
“This year unlike previous years we have a lot of academic creams in the Solomon Islands however the only hindrance is that we lack financial resources which will cater to give them all scholarships,” Mr Viva said.
Mr Viva said that ministry is currently trying to work on a strategy which will help those without scholarships further their education.
“Since all of these 300 plus students have GPA’s of 3 and above, the ministry is working hard on strategy which will help decrease the number of those without scholarships this year.
“We are looking for alternative ways to assist these 190 plus students.”
Mr Viva said that this is a national problem that the government must look into now.
Solution
Mr Viva said that the only solution to preventing such problem from occurring again in the future is to quickly set up the proposed national university.
“We can tackle this problem if we have our very own university.
“More students will have the chance of furthering their education through this University,” Mr Viva said.
Mr Viva said another solution would be for the University of the South Pacific (USP) to establish its fourth campus here in the Solomon Islands.
“It is a must that USP establishes its fourth campus quickly so that its programs (courses) are offered here in the country,” Mr Viva said.
Meanwhile students studying in Papua New Guinea are expected to leave on Saturday.
By JEREMY INIFIRI
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