BY INDY MAEALASIA
A new committee officially established to manage scholarships under the new Solomon Islands Tertiary Education and Skills Plan (SITESP) aims to make the process fairer and transparent.
The Solomon Islands Tertiary Education and Skills Authority (SITESA) Board has setup the Joint SITESP Oversight Committee (JSOC) to oversee the awarding of scholarships, which are set to open on July 14th.
“Under the SITESP 2026, the functions of scholarships and grants have been merged into a single strategic national investment plan,” said Minister for Education Tozen Leokana.
“To ensure effective, transparent and legally compliant implementation, the SITESA Board has established the Joint SITESP Oversight Committee (JSOC) as the committee responsible for all scholarships and skills funding matters, including reviewing, assessing, and recommending awards,” he added.
The JSOC is now a legally recognised body and serves as the only authorised committee to review and recommend the SITESP scholarships and skills development awards.
“It replaces all informal or parallel decision-making structures that previously existed,” Leokana said.
Meanwhile, SITESA Chair Qila Tuhanuku explained that the committee will have representatives from the private and public sector.
“By this, we have a greater chance of making sure that we improve in terms of identifying gaps and making sure that the scholarships match those needs,” she said.
Additionally, the Minister further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to education, skills development and equity, thanking all those who contributed to the SITESP 2026 plan.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to all ministries, provincial governments, the SITESA Board, CEO, Director of Strategic Planning and staff of SITESA, as well as training providers and partners who contributed to the successful development of this plan,” he noted.
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