Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum told Social Democratic Liberal Party Leader Viliame Gavoka that his issue is assuming he will get elected to government.

Sayed-Khaiyum confronted Gavoka during the debate on the review of the Fiji National University’s 2019 Annual Report, where Gavoka stated that a SODELPA government would make education free, even at the tertiary level.

Gavoka says he has a draft policy and his people have done the calculation.

“It came up to $1billion, the whole of education, later the Hon. Minister for Education came up with their figures and she says the budget for Education is $700 million and it will cost another $200 to bring in free tertiary. So her figure is $900 million, SODELPA figure is $1billion so we are there.”

Sayed-Khaiyum, in response, says the government in 2019 and 2020 paid over $14 million for the National Toppers Scheme at FNU, over $33 million for TELS, and about $65 million for capital operating just for that year.

Sayed-Khaiyum says Gavoka is not thinking outside the box and has forgotten the funding that is required to realize his plans.

“Hon. Gavoka says we will make universities free, tertiary institutions will be free. This is the kind of funding that will be required. And he is saying every single student in Fiji, so USP, FNU, and the University of Fiji, obviously they will cut funding from somewhere if they stick to their word.”

The government currently offers free education for kindergarten, primary, and secondary school students.

Tertiary students are offered various forms of scholarships to allow them to pursue their education.