The Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board Chairman Rakesh Ram says funding for MBBS, Oral Health and Dental Surgery have only been suspended and not completely terminated.
Ram says government will be reviewing this next year in consultation with the relevant stakeholders to determine when and if they would resume.
He says programs were listed under the national priority areas of government since the inception of the National Toppers Scheme and Tertiary Education Loans Scheme in 2014 and these programs were included to ensure that Fiji has an adequate number of trained doctors, oral hygienists and dentists.
Ram says work on the review of the national priority areas for 2021 to 2031 has already commenced with the call for submission by TSLB from the interested stakeholders.
He says following the receipt of submissions and in consultation with all the stakeholders, the human resources needs of the Public and Private sectors and NGO’s for the next 10 years will be identified and funding will be allocated in areas that more strongly contributes to the government’s vision of creating a knowledge based society and to create a more skilled and adaptable workforce.
He says by suspending funding for these programs, TSLB is ensuring that the labour demand and supply market remains at or near equilibrium levels to avoid surplus or shortages, both of which are detrimental for the long term prosperity of the economy.
