Lautoka mother wants answers on why the 1st year MBBS students who came through Foundation studies in 2020 are not included in the $10,000 government grant

A Lautoka mother whose daughter completed her first-year MBBS education last year is today calling on the government to explain why the students who came through Foundation studies in 2020 are not included in the $10,000 government grant payout.

According to the National Budget, in the 2021-2022 financial year, all MBBS students that had privately enrolled with a minimum Year 13 mark of 340, with the first-year GPA of 3.0 or more, and combined family income below $100,000 will be eligible for a one-off $10,000 Government grant towards their education.

Muni Lachmi of Lautoka who needs the assistance says her daughter had a GPA of 4.19 for Foundation in 2020 and 3.0 GPA in the first year of MBBS last year.

She says she has called the Minister for Education, Premila Kumar who has referred the matter to the Permanent Secretary for Education. Lachmi says she was later told that the $10,000 grant is only for the MBBS students who came through Year 13.

She claims she has also made several calls and sent messages to the Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum however there has been no response.

Lachmi is asking why the other students are being left out.

Based on this, we sent questions to the Acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum earlier today asking him to clarify why those students that have come through the MBBS program after doing Foundation studies are not eligible for the $10,000 grant, whether the Government is looking for any alternative options for these affected students or will only those that came through Year 13 with a minimum mark of 340 qualify and what is his advice to the affected parents and students. We are awaiting his response.