The Committee on Education discussed on Wednesday the "Cyprus State Scholarships Foundation (Establishment and Operation) (Amendment) Law of 2021", as well as the "Cyprus State Scholarships Foundation (General) (Amendment) Regulations 2021".
In statements after the session of the Committee on Education of the Parliament, the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Chrysanthos Savvidis, said that the State Scholarship Foundation performs a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional and very important role in ensuring that many children from poor families have been able to realize their dream of studying.
"With the passage of the new regulations, we believe that we are modernizing the law and we believe that it enables children who really need it to get scholarships to realize the goal of obtaining either an undergraduate or graduate degree. Concerns have been raised by DIKO, but other opposition parties, both AKEL and DIPA, have also embraced it, as to whether children who study at a distance and also professional qualifications should be included among prospective students," he added.
Savvidis said they have heard the counter argument from the State Scholarship Foundation, from the Board of Directors, that there are some concerns.
"They have pledged that by September they will bring their own counter proposals. If they don't bring them then we will proceed autonomously as MPs to table our own legislative proposals so that we can cover this group as well. To say that distance learning in Cyprus may be a new way of teaching, since 1986 it has conquered America and Europe and in Cyprus because of the pandemic it is an equal method of teaching and most people today choose this methodology of learning", he noted. Savvidis, it is equal and there are children who choose this method of teaching and learning and have tuition fees, "we think it is right and proper to cover them as well."
He said, however, that there are vocational degrees, with regular university attendance of four and five years, and they are not eligible to claim scholarships. "So, for these students, we want to cover them, that is why we have submitted this particular proposal - a suggestion, which we hope they will understand and add it within those who are eligible to claim scholarships from the State Scholarship Foundation," he added.
Responding to a question, Savides said that the 8.8 million euros may be exhausted. which is the amount of the scholarships, "but I want to say that 30% of the students fail to continue to have the scholarship because there is a minimum number of credits that one has to pass so 30% of that amount is left unused because the children are unable to pass the courses and so this amount can be used to give to the children who are studying distance learning or professional qualifications."
AKEL MP Christos Christofides said in a statement that today in the Parliamentary Committee on Education the debate on the amendments to the legislation and regulations of the Cyprus State Scholarship Foundation has been completed, which will be referred to the Plenary of the Parliament for a vote.
"The amendments move in a positive direction and I would say that they modernise and democratise the system. I should also add that the majority of the Education Committee calls for three other categories of students to be included in the categories of beneficiaries of state scholarships: students studying at a distance, students studying in vocational programmes and part-time students. I must say that part-time attendance is now a phenomenon in private universities, but as we have been informed, public universities will also make the necessary arrangements for part-time students," he added.
He also said that it is "our approach that these categories should be covered based mainly on socio-economic criteria."
"At the same time, we believe that we should not take away from the scholarships that other children are getting now to give to these students as well. We should make a separate program, increase the budget of the State Scholarship Foundation so that it can cover these categories as well. There is a commitment on the part of the Board of Directors of the ICSF that by September at the latest they will work out the views of the Committee and either bring us a proposal or announce their intentions," he said.
He said, in addition, that if there can be an agreement well, if there cannot be an agreement, AKEL, together with the other opposition parties, "will submit our own proposals and suggestions for amending the legislation so that these categories of students are also covered."
In a statement, DPA-Cooperation MP Alekos Tryfonides said that "we have finished the regulations where the State Scholarship Foundation is being modernised."
"Its role in our education and excellence is very important. But at the same time we have discussed to include distance learning students and the professional title in the State Scholarship Foundation. The discussion will continue in September and the Council of the State Scholarship Foundation has made a commitment to bring proposals in this direction because our goal is to promote both excellence and to help people with the social and economic criteria that are so much in need in this period of crisis and the great price tag," he concluded.
Source: CNA
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