A total of 153 unplaced pre-service students are calling for explanations from the Ministry of Education over what they claim to be inconsistencies in the selection and awarding of scholarships for 2010.

Disgruntled students told the National Express that this year's selection see many students who have scored the expected cut-off GPA 3 or above mark to be out of the list.

The students claim there are recipients, awarded scholarships this year, who scored well below the cut-off mark.

Other students approached claim that the MEHRD selection this year did not follow the right procedure.

"... any student who score a GPA of 3.0 and above are automatically eligible to be awarded a scholarship ..." a student representative explained.

They also questioned why it took the MEHRD longer than usual this year to release list of selected students to be awarded.

It was revealed to students by an official within the Ministry that the selection process took "about three hours" to finalize the list.

Students said this reflects lack of proper selection process of more than 100 students, to have the job done within three hours.

A senior official within the Government Caucus has advised students to submit a letter to the government so that the matter can be dealt with.

MEHRD and the responsible unit, the National Training Unit, were not available to respond to the claims.


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