Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa said the current merit based scholarship system which is known as the National Toppers Scheme needs to change.
While speaking in parliament, Ro Teimumu said that the Ministry of Education needs to address this issue as the previous process ensured that all ethnic groups are represented in the scholarship award system.
Although she highlighted in her parliamentary speech that the Toppers Scheme started in 2010 and pointed out statistics from that year to date, Fijivillage confirms that the scheme was announced in November last year and started this year.
The main eligibility criteria for Itaukei Affairs scholarships required applicants to be Itaukei or Rotuman while the Multi Ethnic Affairs Scholarships were only available for non Itaukei.
Ro Teimumu also made her stand clear on the scholarship system.
The previous system was awarded based on race.
We questioned Ro Teimumu in an earlier interview on why SODELPA is still pushing for the scholarships to be awarded based on race.
Fijivillage asked her if scholarships based on merit and need would be the best way to go forward.
She blamed the media for highlighting these issues.
