Scholarship policy for university students
IN 1977 Government had a policy where half of the University of the South Pacific’s scholarships were reserved for “qualified and deserving” Fijians.
This statement by Filipe Bole, the secretary for education at the time was published in The Fiji Times on March 5 1977.
As a result of this policy, Fijian students were admitted to the University of the South Pacific for studies, with a minimum of 216 marks in the university entrance examination.
Other ethnic students had to have a minimum of 261 marks.
Mr Bole’s explanation was in response to a letter from one Praveen Chandra Prasad, about university selections, which was published in The Fiji Times on February 24.
Mr Bole said the Government policy was based among other considerations, on the principle of equalising educational opportunities among various ethnic communities in Fiji.
This was because education was considered important for personal advancement, and more importantly for fostering better inter-racial understanding.
“Hopefully, the end results of this policy would be to reduce the educational gap between Fijians and others and achieve and maintain an appropriate racial balance in various sectors of the economy,” Mr Bole said.
He added the basis of the policy was first spelt out by the Fiji Education Commission in 1969 when it became clear there was an urgent need to bridge the educational opportunities gap separating Fijians from the other races.
The commission recommended reserving 50 per cent of the Government’s university scholarship fund for Fijians.
If qualified Fijians in any one year failed to fill the 50 per cent quota, the unallocated balance should be given to other specifically Fijian educational needs.
The commission recommended this balance could be spent on financing Fijian students who had to repeat a year at university, provided the students had made a serious effort to study in previous years.
Mr Bole added the provisions should remain in force for nine years, with a preliminary review at the end of six years.
If there was no marked reduction in the education gap between Fiji and the others, the position should be reconsidered.
Mr Bole said after Parliament accepted the commission report at the end of 1970, these recommendations became the basis of the Education Department policy for selecting students for further studies.
“The policy has been maintained because of the improvement it has brought about to those who did not have the opportunity before.
“It should be obvious, if the principle that underlines this policy is accepted, as it has been, that unless the money devoted to financing further education is increased substantially in future, an increasing number of post-university entrance students of all races will be unable to pursue further studies and may have to seek employment immediately after leaving school.
Mr Prasad said in his letter that out of 140 students sponsored by Government in 1977 for the Preliminary II Science and Social Science courses at the USP, only 37 were Indians.
These 37 were selected for the science course, which had an enrolment of 90, and all 50 students in the social science course were Fijians, he said.
Mr Bole said that these figures were grossly inaccurate and misleading.
Of 140 places available for Fiji students, only 137 had been filled – with 44 Fijians and 40 others in science and 18 Fijians and 35 others in social science.
Mr Prasad said the minimum requirements for Fijians was an aggregate of 216 marks while for Indians it was 261.
“This point is the direct result of the policy stated in both Development Plan Six and Seven that all qualified and deserving Fijian students should be awarded scholarships,” Mr Bole said.
Continuing the present selection policy would deprive many Indian students of Preliminary II medical and dental course and overseas scholarships, Mr Prasad said in his letter.
Figures from Mr Bole show that 20 Fijians and 24 others were enrolled in Preliminary II medic and dental courses, 30 Fijians and 46 others are in USP degree courses and nine Fijians and 15 others are taking overseas degree courses.
That gave a total of 82 Fijians and 99 others in Preliminary II courses and 39 Fijians and 61 others taking degree courses.
Hopefully, the end results of this policy would be to reduce the educational gap between Fijians and others and achieve and maintain an appropriate racial balance ...
– Filipe Bole