Dept wants to establish facility

THE Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (Dherst) wants to establish a commercial facility to manage its higher education loan programme (Help) dividends, an official says.
Acting Dherst secretary Dr Francis Hualupmomi said this facility, called the “higher education endowment fund”, would also be allowed to operate like any other commercial facility.
“It will generate its own money like buying shares, to sustain itself over a long period of time,” he said.
“In that way, the Help can migrate slowly into a self-sustainable package.
“We’re now putting in transparent mechanisms to ensure that we manage it properly.
“As we speak, we’re preparing a National Executive Council submission to cabinet to approve the establishment of this fund.”
Hualupmomi said the idea was to create a self-sustaining facility that will fund scholarships, research programmes and building of infrastructure to name a few.