BY INDY MAEALASIA
THE new Solomon Islands Tertiary Education Skills Plan (SITESP) 2026 will offer 1,445 scholarships aimed at building qualifications and skills in critical workforce shortage areas.
Speaking at a recent official signing, Minister for Education Tozen Leokana said the plan is strategically focused on sectors such as health, education, infrastructure and maritime engineering, including Class 3 and Class 2 marine engineer certification.
“This is to strengthen our national maritime workforce pipeline,” Leokana said.
Under the 2026 plan, 82 percent of scholarships are allocated to Pre-Service applicants, while 18% are reserved for In-Service professionals.
These allocations are based on national workforce needs and priority training areas identified in the SITESP framework.
According to the SITESA Board, 88% of the scholarships will be delivered in-country, primarily through the Solomon Islands National University (SINU), while 12% will support overseas study in specialized fields such as health and maritime.
“This reflects the government’s focus on strengthening local institutions while maintaining critical international partnerships,” the Minister added.
Applications for SITESP 2026 scholarships will open on July 14 and close on September 14.
“I encourage all eligible Solomon Islanders to apply early and carefully review the academic fields and training programmes listed in the approved SITESP 2026 plan,” Minister Leokana urged.
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