Praneeta Prakash 
[Photo: File]
The Micro-Qualification Grant Scheme will be phased out as part of changes to the 2027 Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Service programmes.
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro says the move will streamline skills development and align funding with workforce needs.
The scheme has supported 7,784 students, including school leavers, unemployed youth and adults seeking workforce skills.
Radrodro says the decision to phase out the scheme is guided by the need to streamline skills development efforts.
“The phase-out will also allow the Government to redirect funding towards more integrated and targeted initiatives that provide deeper skills development, improved employability and long-term impact while still maintaining support mechanisms for vulnerable groups through alternative training pathways.”
Radrodro says the focus will now shift towards strengthening graduate employability and achieving more sustainable economic outcomes.
The Graduate Start-Up Scheme has also been phased out. This scheme was introduced to give TSLA-sponsored students or final semester students opportunities to train or start a business. While the initiative has helped promote an entrepreneurial mindset amongst the graduates, the decision to phase it out reflects the need to refocus efforts on strengthening graduate employability and ensuring a more sustainable economic outcome
The government says the revised scholarship policies are designed to ensure greater and more equitable access to tertiary education while responding to Fiji’s changing workforce requirements.
