SAM, SBCS are in Govt contract

At the signing ceremony between private tertiary institutions and the ministry on Tuesday at the Ambassador Hotel, the ministry handed out certificates to only eight institutions, which had been approved to offer free tertiary education.

However, the ministry’s communications specialist Dixie Ann Bell told Newsday yesterday, the ministry has signed contracts with 32 private tertiary institutions to offer free education.

She said certificates were only handed out at Tuesday’s ceremony to representatives from schools which were present.

Asaf Pirali, the founder of SAM, told Newsday yesterday the school’s name was not called at the ceremony because his institution was already signed under the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses (GATE) programme, and only new institutions, not yet under the GATE programme, were called.

He explained his absence from the ceremony was because he was out of the country.

Pirali said the certificates of approval which were distributed, indicate that the institution can now provide free tertiary education.

Pirali said approved undergraduate degrees will be 100 percent funded by Government, while approved post-graduate degrees will be funded at a maximum of $10,000.

Pirali said all degree programmes at his school have been approved and will be free from January 2006. Pirali said those students who already paid for the full academic year for 2006 will be reimbursed.