The posting done by Jonas on 11th September hits the nail on the head.

Management of allowances is definitely an issue USP students and SIG seriously need to look into. The allowances that SIG sponsored students get per semester is quite a substantial amount. This is a fact!

Generally, the scholarship allowances for students are meant for accommodation, clothing and books. These are the three main things which the allowances are given for - they appear to be the basic needs.

However, there are also other needs and wants. Unfortunately, the scholarship allowance does not cater for this. For instance, going to Village 6, night clubs, buying laptops, mobiles or other electronics etc. These things as pointed out by Jonas are not catered for under the scholarship allowance.

So when students go for these things pressure is placed on their allowances resulting in shortfalls. The effect for some students is that towards the end of a semester there would be no allowance left. For others, it is business as usual - wait for the next semester again!

Jonas also made an interesting pointing regarding the renting strategy by students. It is generally done in groups. Sometimes in a three, four or five bedroom house there would be between 5 - 10 students renting together and each making equal contributions for rent, food, power and water.

The expense per student for one semester under such rental arrangement usually gives a student the chance to make a good amount of savings from their allowances. How this savings is used or managed is another story. But it is quite clear that if students use or manage their allowances genuinely they can still afford to live and learn at USP, Laucala Campus, Fiji despite the devaluation.

The extent to which students have been affected due to the devaluation remains an issue that needs closer scrutiny instead of exaggeration. It seems the devaluation in Fiji affected a little bit of the choices that students make in terms of what they should spend their allowances on or how much should go for savings thus creating the allowance fuss.