The Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board has categorically denounced the misinformation spread about the review that is being undertaken by them.

Board Chair Rakesh Ram says the review of the national priority areas is not aimed at restricting students’ choices, curtailing the student’s aspirations, or any attempts to reduce the budgetary allocation for the scholarship and loans schemes.

Ram says the review is aimed at striving a balance between the country’s needs and the dreams of Fijians.

He adds the terms of reference for the current review is absolutely clear and is noticeably stated in the call for public submission.

Ram highlighted that the principle objective of the review is to identify the human resources needs of the industry sectors (Public/Private and NGO) for the next 10 years in a consultative approach.

The review is further aimed at identifying the new fields that need to be addressed in the priority areas for funding under the scholarship and loans schemes.

He says at the same time the review will assist TSLB in identifying skills that are becoming obsolete/redundant so that appropriate recommendations could be made for upskilling of the workforce.

Ram says this is not the first time that a review of the schemes has been undertaken.

Since the inception of the new schemes in 2014, several major changes have been accommodated to benefit the Fijians.

TSLB is encouraging the Fijians to make submissions before January 31^st.