Students left high and dry

BIMAN: MOVE ‘CONTRAVENES POLICIES BY GOVERNMENT’

GOVERNMENT has betrayed the hopes and expectations of students by reneging on its preNovember, 2018 election policies on Tertiary Education Loans and Scholarships (TELS), claims National Federation Party leader Prof Biman Prasad.

Prof Prasad said comments by

TELS board chairman Rakesh Ram and CEO Bobby Maharaj regarding the suspension of new scholarships and loans for students pursuing MBBS and Oral Health programs, suspending or terminating scholarships, were causing anxiety among parents and students.

“They totally contravene the policies announced by the current Government before the November 2018 elections which expanded TELS to ensure it benefitted every student wishing to undertake any program, allowed students to change programs once in tertiary institutions, as well as repeat once if any student failed.

“Now Bobby Maharaj is saying existing students, particularly those pursuing MBBS, need a GPA of 3.9 or A-plus grades to ensure continuity of their scholarships and loans. He is totally contravening policies announced by the Government during the 2017-18 budget.

“More astounding is Mr Ram’s justification of suspending MBBS and Oral Health scholarships and loans by talking about fiscal responsibility and that we have enough doctors.”

Prof Prasad said what these meant was cost cutting in priority areas and sacrificing the future of our students.

“Any further silence by the Government, particularly the Economy and Education ministers on this critical issue would mean their seal of approval of the plan to financially burden parents and destroy the chosen career paths of students.”