…Huge number of students from USP heading back

 

A good number of students studying at the University of the South Pacific (USP) in Fiji and perhaps Vanuatu under government scholarship will be sent home soon.

The national government through the National Training Committee (NTC) in the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) are working on names of students who will be terminated soon.

The students Education Attaché in Fiji, Samantha Teitei and the Director of the National Training Unit (NTU) Clement Tito confirmed this in an email correspondence with this paper, but could not confirm as to how many students will be affected by this measure.

“Students who are terminated are students who failed all units registered for, this office is yet to receive a final list from NTC (National Training Committee) regarding this,” said the Education Attaché in Fiji, Ms Teitei.

NTU Director Mr Tito said: “I am not going to speculate at this stage because we are still working on the results to formalize them according to our Scholarship Policy and procedures.”

However, when asked, the duo wish not to divulge on whether students on government scholarship studying at other universities in Fiji such as the Fiji National University (FNU), Fiji School of Medicine (FSM), Fulton College and the University of Fiji will also face this measure when formalized.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a student studying at Laucala campus said this is unfair as he claims that the NTU policy only applies to students studying at USP.

“The policy imposed is totally unfair,” he slammed.

Meanwhile, a senior student and student leader, Alphonce Botu when asked by the Island Sun from Laucala campus yesterday, said USP students are assessed each semester as usual.

“I will not say it is unfair to USP students until we receive the formal list of names from NTU.

“I am not sure on how they deal with FNU, FSM, Fulton and University of Fiji, but for now USP students are assessed each semester as usual, for me to say it’s unfair to USP students at this moment as compared with other Universities here in Fiji is too early,” said Botu.

He said a confirmation will be known after the list is made available by NTU or NTC, which will clearly state how many students in USP or FNU, FSM, Fulton College and University of Fiji will be terminated.

“At this point of time students are still waiting for that same email (termination list), and also we the student leaders are fully ready to deal with that issue,” he said in an online correspondence with the paper last night.