JPA suspended our scholarships, claim disappointed students

Joy turned to disappointment for a group of students who were supposed to continue their education overseas as Public Service Department (JPA) scholars when JPA officials confirmed that their scholarships have been suspended.

"In a meeting with JPA officers on Jan 19, they confirmed that our scholarships have been suspended. All of us were shocked and most of us cried on hearing the news," a representative of the students said at a press conference in Subang Jaya today.

The students said they were told of the suspension after they went to the JPA office in Putrajaya to inquire on the status of their scholarship on hearing recent news reports that JPA educational aids for this year's placements have been put on hold.

The students claimed that the JPA officers also told them that scholarships for five disciplines – architecture studies, medicine, dietetic sciences, pharmacy and dentistry – have been suspended.

They said the officers told them the department will release a statement to that effect soon, but until today none has been forthcoming.

Prior to this, some parents have alleged that JPA scholarships for this year have been put off. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Wee Ka Siong was reported to have brought the matter up in the cabinet, asking for financial aid to the students to be restored.

Wee, however, insisted that he was not the person who confirmed or announced the suspension of scholarships, saying that he was merely addressing the fears of parents who were concerned when news about the matter was circulated in the media.

The group of students expressed their disappointment with the sudden suspension.

One of them, who only wants to be known as 'K', said that he has been accepted into University of Melbourne, Australia, and the registration is set for Jan 29.

But now his hopes of studying there are dashed since the JPA scholarship has been suspended.

"I am stumped. I received the acceptance letter from the university on Jan 13. But before I can register, I need to get the scholarship slip from JPA.

But I was told that the scholarship has been suspended. It is too short a time (to look for alternatives now). I don't know what to do," said K.

Another student, G, had been offered a place in Imperial College, London, to study civil engineering.

But all the hard work came to nothing now that JPA is no longer going to lend financial assistance.

The students hoped that JPA will reconsider and restore their scholarships to allow them to further their studies. --Mkini