The echelons of the higher education system need a clean-up, a leading local academic said yesterday, amid concerns over budget allocation.

University of Fiji Vice Chancellor, Professor Shaista Shameem called on Fiji Higher Education Commission (FHEC) to clean up “the mess”, allow for transparency over how funding allocation was determined.

“FHEC either does not know what it is doing, or its officers are deliberately unfair when they advise the Minister of Economy annually on how higher education institutions should be funded,” she said.

“Higher education institutions are funded in ad hoc and arbitrary manner, leading University of Fiji to believe fund were not allocated on fairness and service to young people who should be supported in their education but, based on cronyism, favouritism and a misapplication of funding criteria contained in the FHEC Act.”

She said FHEC’s fall-back position when explanations were sought was that Parliament had not approved the funding model.

But FHEC director Rohit Kishore said there was no formula.

“Each year, institutions requesting government grants submit costed operating plans which are assessed and submitted to the Ministry of Finance for final funding decision,” he said from New Zealand.

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Story by: frederica.elbourne@fijisun.com.fj