This is a new chapter long overdue though and I believe it's good to bond students to indicate our likely implications/commitment in our studies, our obligation and culpability after graduation.

In any sponsorship or student loan schemes for that matter always carries some form of bonds/contracts; scholarships not free in this case. The bright side of introducing the bond system is that, first, as what others have said that scholarship award is a privilege. Second, after graduation, one has an obligation and responsibility to serve his/her country first before moving to other greener pastures or places. It doesn't mean/ necessarily we have to work in the public sector but we can still serve elsewhere in our country for one or two yrs, whether in our communities or church organisations. In turn we reciprocate our tax payers' contribution towards our scholarships and value their assistance.

On other hand, as someone mentioned, there will be cases where your knowledge or skills immediately needed after graduation somewhere else. In this case a bond waiver can be applied if this can be provided.

On the one hand, Sarah Tang (1998, April) from Asianonline points out that "a true scholarship [neither] are without bonds nor contract, they are awarded for intellectual excellent and rewarded for the passion and pursuit of knowledge".