Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
[File Photo]
Changes made to the Tertiary Scholarships and Loan Service Act over the past two years aim to strengthen the legislation and provide clarity on additional powers to administer scholarship investments.
This was highlighted by the Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro in parliament when asked about the review of the Act.
Radrodro says the current Act stipulates and differentiates the powers of the Minister of Education and also the Minister for Finance.
“The Minister of Finance is responsible for the appointment of the Board while the overseeing of the regulations for scholarship schemes, study loans and grants, and appointment of CEO through the Board are vested with the Minister for Education.”
Radrodro says that this year, the government has allowed repeaters on merit-based on local scheme for degrees and vocational studies in the MBBS and pilot programs.
He adds that to make the process fair for all, the students need to meet higher cut-off marks than the first attempters.
“For example, the cut-off for MBBS for first attempters is 350 out of 400 and for repeaters is 365. And for pilot, it is 335 for repeaters and 310 out of 400 in year 13 for first attempt. And compulsory pass in VGAO is psychometric and aptitude assessments.”
The minister noted that the government wrote off $650 million in student loans, cancelling the debt for about 53,725 students.
