THE Solomon Island National University (SINU) School of Education (SOE) government sponsored students are yet to be paid their Semester Allowance.

Chairman and Secretary of the SINU-SOE Student Association expressed that they have only two academic weeks left before the end of the semester and students are finding it hard to cope with studies.

Chairman of the student body, Luke Maefiti said more than 500 students have been without their allowance for 12 weeks now.

He said they have been without their book allowance, and this has badly affected students because there are no free course readings being offered at the university.

He informed this paper that government sponsored students at SINU are entitled to $34,900 semester allowance, which includes their tuition fees.

“And with the current maintenance work on school offices, student hostels are now turned into office blocks, as a result, students resort to sleeping with their relatives or rent cheaper accommodations which has also affected their studies.

“Some of the students rent cheaper accommodation which cost up around $500or $700 monthly,” SINU-SOE Student Association Secretary, Francis Saeni Ofai added.

The two student leaders said since the beginning of the semester, which is almost 12 weeks now, they have been faced with financial difficulties on transport, living expenses and accessing school materials.

“We do contact the Ministry of Finance, and were told that the allowance payment has already been receipted, however, the question is when is the payment going to be made.”

Mr Maefiti said they have only two academic weeks left before their exams, and has urged the government to consider paying their allowance at the earliest possible.

“We just feel the same thing that government sponsored students from other institution, such as those at USP faced,” they expressed.

Island Sun understands that students studying at various universities in Fiji will be paid their allowance for May tomorrow, Thursday after a delay for over half of the month.

As cited in a correspondence made with the local student leaders at USP, Laucala campus, the Education Attaché has advised them that economy at the moment could not timely pay in funds to sustain students allowance and tuition bills that are all due.

It cited that payment of allowance will continue to be affected until such time only leaders know.

The paper could not reach the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Finance on the matter but is seeking comments on the issue.