Fiji’s Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has directed the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board (TSLB) to review its decision to suspend some students under the National Toppers Scheme (NTS), saying they should have consulted stakeholders first.
The TSLB recently raised requirements for students’ academic performance under the NTS which saw some students suspended.
Moves to review the decision came after Sayed-Khaiyum met with the TSLB Board and CEO, the Dean of the FNU College of Medicine, and the Solicitor General’s office, along with a number of representatives of recently-suspended NTS students yesterday.
Sayed-Khaiyum said the decision was “hasty” and was done without government’s approval or consultation.
“Rather than rush to change the GPA requirements and suspend those students, the TSLB should have consulted with government, educational institutions, and students. That error should be remedied by the TSLB as soon as possible.”
Implementation of other TSLB policies was also discussed during the meeting. TSLB has been directed to provide a detailed brief by early next week.
Sayed-Khaiyum will meet again with the TSLB management to review its current policies including GPA requirements, the notification process, and probation and suspension protocols to ensure that decisions affecting students adhere to due process and reflect the values of fairness and transparency.
