April 13, 2023
The Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service (TSLS) and the Engineers Fiji (EF) have entered new partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The collaboration aims to foster a partnership that benefits aspiring engineers and the engineering industry. The MoU will allow constructive information and data sharing that will allow quality of scholarship intakes and allocation of awards for the engineering programmes.
Under this agreement, EF will advice TSLS on yearly basis on the types of Engineering programmes required and number of awards to be allocated. EF will provide essential input by providing industry mentoring to the TSLS sponsored students in engineering prgorammes and allow students membership to Engineers Fiji.
Mr. Terence Erasito, Vice -President of EF said “As Fiji is a developing country, a major influence on the growth of our economy is the quality of education we have and the ease with which secondary school graduates have access to tertiary level programs. The initiative taken by the Tertiary Scholarship and Loan Service (TSLS) in creating avenue through which Engineers Fiji (EF) may channel its needs in the industry and workforce is admirable.”
He further highlighted that the Engineering industry needs more diploma and post – degree students to fulfil the industry needs.
“The initiative of the Fiji Government in setting up and supporting the Tertiary Scholarship and Loan Service (TSLS) is commended but it is also a necessity. The synergies and need for strong communication between Engineers Fiji and TSLS play a vital role in ensuring that the limited funds that are available for education are utilized to the best advantage as possible. With the opportunity to facilitate dialogue between EF and TSLS, both parties will benefit. Fulfilling the needs of Fiji’s workforce will inevitably assist with Fiji’s growth. Our partnership, therefore, is a commendable initiative which Engineers Fiji is pleased and proud to support. We trust the relationship between EF and TSLS will assist TSLS in achieving its goals”, Mr. Erasito said.
Meanwhile, TSLS will create public awareness on the number of awards available and allow online application on its system from interested students in the Engineering disciplines.
Dr. Hasmukh Lal, CEO of TSLS said it was indeed a great occasion for TSLS to partner with Engineers Fiji.
“Engineers Fiji is the industry peak association of the engineering profession in Fiji. TSLS has started to partner with industry peak associations so that they can become the advisor in terms of the needs existing in the profession, for instance the number of civil or mechanical engineers the industry needs and so forth and these types of data will assist TSLS on yearly basis in terms of allocating scholarships both at TVET and degree level locally and internationally.”
TSLS has awarded 5001 scholarships to engineering students from 2014 to date.
