Opposition MP Premila Kumar has criticised the Government’s Tertiary Scholarships and Loan Services (TSLS) Budget Consequential Bill, warning it removes Parliament’s oversight of scholarship funding and concentrates too much authority in the hands of the Minister and TSLS.
Speaking during debate on the Bill on Friday, Kumar said the legislation’s most significant change was the removal of the schedules from the Act, which currently require Parliament to approve eligible institutions and scholarship schemes.
“The fundamental concern of this Bill is its central objective to transfer important powers away from Parliament and weaken independent oversight while concentrating greater authority in the hands of the Minister and the TSLS,” she said.
Kumar argued that once the schedules are moved into a handbook, future changes would no longer require parliamentary approval.
“Any scholarship scheme can be removed, eligibility rules can be changed, and an institution can be added or removed. All of these can happen without Parliament ever debating those changes.”
She rejected the Government’s argument that the amendment would improve administrative efficiency.
“The Government says this will make administration more efficient because Parliament will no longer have to amend the schedules. I ask this House, is Parliamentary oversight a problem? Since when has Parliamentary oversight become an inconvenience?”
Kumar said Parliament exists to ensure accountability over public spending, adding that “efficiency should never come at the expense of accountability.”
Despite Opposition concerns, the TSLS Budget Consequential Bill was passed by Parliament.
