The Interim Minister for Education has called on the SDL party to mention the names of boarding institutions whose grants have been removed or reduced this year.

Filipe Bole said it was not worth commenting on such issues now.

SDL at their AGM last Friday, said in one of their resolutions that they were deeply concerned at the removal and reduction of grants given to boarding institutions and were concerned that this would affect children in rural areas and the outer islands.

SDL also expressed regret that the interim administration's attempts to redirect the Fijian Affairs Board scholarships for this year to countries in Asia rather than to Australia, New Zealand and the UK, owing to the compatibility of the academic traditions we share with them and the availability of support systems which have been developed over the years in these countries for our students.

Bole added that the Ministry of Education was no longer responsible for overseas scholarships and referred all questions to the PM's office. Permanent Secretary Parmesh Chand could not be reached for comments.