Awards not for continuing students, says spokesperson

 THE Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships are not awarded to continuing students, an awards spokeswoman says.

Scholarships coordinator June Taule said the awards were for a fixed duration of four, three, two or a year. 

Her comments follow complaints by students who have been missing out on the scholarships.

But Taule said students who applied for the scholarship were chosen by the institution first before their scholarship was awarded by the institution and AusAID.

“Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships are not awarded to continuing students,” she said. 

“These scholarships (similar to the Australian Awards programmes) offer scholarships to students for a fixed duration – that is, four years, three years, two years, and a year respectively. 

“Scholarships are being offered to a student at the beginning of their course. 

“Applicants have to apply to respective institutions for placement first either by the school leaver form or institution application form. 

“Applicants who have secured placements with partner institutions then go through scholarships selections.  

“Awardees are selected in line with AusAID priority areas: in terms of age, gender, province of origin, academic performance and applicants must show an interest in working in the health sector,” Taule said.

There are only four approved study programmes under the Australian Awards Pacific Scholarships – bachelor of midwifery, bachelor of nursing, diploma of nursing, and community health workers certificate.

All four programmes are offered in Papua New Guinea and scholarship information can be resourced at the Australian Awards information centre on the ground floor of Port Tower, Hunter Street, Port Moresby.