[File Photo]

The People’s Alliance says if it forms government, it will remove the Tertiary Education Loans Scheme (TELS) and National Toppers scholarships.

In a statement, the party says these will be replaced with full scholarships containing bond conditions.

Party Leader Sitiveni Rabuka says students will serve a bond equivalent to the number of years they studied in higher education institutions.

Rabuka says they will work in Fiji for an average of three to four years in the private or public sectors, or with non-government organisations (NGOs).

He says they will fund this initiative from an existing budget allocation of $162.6 million.

He adds that a People’s Alliance government will cancel debts totaling over half a billion dollars in student loans to pay for their higher education.

Meanwhile, FijiFirst General Secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has revealed that a number of banks are interested in paying 50 percent of students’ debts.

Sayed-Khaiyum, who is also the Minister for Economy, has asked these political parties if their plan is sustainable.

He says it seems politicians are just saying this to get votes.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the current model is sustainable.