USP expresses regret and apologises to student

The University of the South Pacific has today expressed its regret and apology to Seruiraduvatu Tamanirarama whose scholarship was terminated and later reinstated by the Tertiary Loans and Scholarships Board.

In a statement, the USP said a member of USP staff wrote to Tamanirarama indicating that his intention not to attend a field-trip which is an integral component of his course was not appropriate.

The USP said the staff had also copied this correspondence to the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs because the student was on their scholarship.

The USP then further said that subsequent to the email from the University, the student did attend the field course and this was clarified later to the Tertiary Loans and Scholarships Board who reinstated the scholarship.

The USP said there was no incorrect information given by USP but perhaps the University did not advise the Tertiary Loans and Scholarships Board in time for a decision.

The USP said there was no intention on the part of the University to restrict attendance at any political event.

Meanwhile, the Tertiary Loans and Scholarships Board had said earlier that the board terminated Tamanirarama’s scholarship last month on the basis of information given to it by the education institution involved with the student.

Chairman, Dixon Seeto said there is a clear document trail on this case which led to the board’s decision.

Seeto said the Tertiary Loans and Scholarships Board came to be aware of certain information and decided to further investigate this matter.

He said the investigations showed that the initial information and the resulting recommendation from the education institution were incorrect.