The exhaustion of Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service (TSLS) funding for Semester Two and Quarter Three has dashed the hopes of thousands of aspiring students, Opposition MP Ketan Lal told Parliament yesterday.
Contributing to the 2026-2027 National Budget debate, Mr Lal accused the Government of failing young Fijians by allowing scholarship funding to run out, leaving eligible students uncertain about their future.
“The announcement crushed thousands of dreams,” he said.
“TSLS scholarships for Semester Two and Quarter Three, fully exhausted.
“Young Fijians who studied hard, earned their places, did everything right, told there is nothing left for them.”
Mr Lal questioned what options remained for students who had secured admission but could no longer access financial support.
“Do they give up their dreams? Do their parents borrow money they cannot repay? This Government has no answer.”
He said previous governments had ensured scholarships and student loans complemented each other so that financial hardship did not prevent students from pursuing tertiary education.
“Under the previous administration, scholarships and student loans worked together, so no capable young Fijian was locked out of education by poverty.
“That safety net has been torn down.”
Mr Lal also criticised comments made about student allowances, saying many students relied on the assistance to meet basic living costs.
“It is very easy to say ‘just assistance’ from an air-conditioned office. It is much harder to say it to a student choosing between groceries and rent. That one phrase tells the nation exactly how far this Government has drifted from the people it claims to serve.”
