Education Minister Aseri Radrodro today clarified concerns about increased repayment amounts for recipients of the Tertiary Education Loans Scheme.

Opposition Member of Parliament, Semi Koroilavesau today raised questions on why students are being asked to repay more than the amounts they originally signed.

Minister Radrodro clarified that the increases are linked to differences between the former TELS loan program and the current Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Service.

He says while TELS involved loans with optional early repayment discounts, TSLS is primarily a scholarship program with a service bond.

“One is regarding loan, which the students are mandated to pay, and this new one is a T-S-L-S, which is a scholarship scheme. And there is a quite big difference e in terms of talking about amount owed. As compared to the previous one, the amount is owed because they have to pay the loan. As compared to this one, this is a scholarship, and students are not supposed to pay any loan unless they have breached the condition where after graduation they are bonded.”

Radrodro says the bond system was designed to ensure a consistent supply of skilled professionals in Fiji and to safeguard government investment in education.

“The scholarship schemes are structured to have consistent supply of skill set in the country. Penalty for not serving the bond helps in mitigating loss of skill and professional workers for greener pastures. The rate of penalty charged is dependent on years of bond service remaining, lower the years of remaining bond service, and lower the penalty.”

The Education Minister is students experiencing repayment discrepancies to contact TSLS directly to clarify their accounts and bond obligations.

He says the government is committed to transparency and ensuring maximum return on taxpayer’s investment in higher education while supporting students to contribute to Fiji’s workforce.

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