Gazelle district students from East New Britain attending higher institutions across the country will be finally receiving financial assistance from their local MP towards the end of this month.
An allocation of K1.5 million was approved for the scheme is an increase from last year’s allocation of K1.3 million.
About more than 1200 students who applied for the scholarship this year were thoroughly screened by a committee before they were eligible for the assistance.
Gazelle MP and Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Malakai Tabar this year increased the scholarship package to about K1.5 million.
The scholarship program is for all Gazelle students attending higher institutions across the country, including private institutions and vocational technical colleges.
Also included in the package are payments for students going overseas for studies, especially in the Philippines.
According to the office processing the scholarships, there is an increase in the number of students from 700 last year to over 1200 this year.
The prolonged delay in payment was for a thorough screening process of all the applications and confirmations from all institutions of the right fees to be paid.