Scholarship board member asks for fair assistance

Scholarship board member Roman Benavente asked Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio to suspend the two statutory scholarships and instead equitably distribute the identified funding to all qualified students.

According to Benavente, both suspensions will allow the government to extend $2,500 to each qualified student regardless of degree and standing.

Under Public Law 11-77, recipients of the Full Scholarship will receive 15,000 each year which would cover for tuition, text books, board, lodging and other expenses.

While, students pursuing the degree in education will continue to receive $12,000 as their Teacher Scholarship grant.

For students receiving the regular grant under the Educational Assistance Program, they can only rely over $1,000 financial help from the government.

“They will only get around $550 per semester. As a parent and a member of the scholarship board, I don’t think it’s fair among all recipients,” he told Saipan Tribune.

Benavente said the scholarship office is counting 36 students qualifying for the full scholarship grant but will require over $500,000 government funding.

For the 75 students who will be pursuing education, some $900,000 will be reserved for next school year.

Meanwhile, close to 800 students with full time status are expected to avail of the regular grant next year. With a little over $1,000 annual assistance, over 400 students are going off island, while 300 are expected to attend the Northern Marianas College.

In addition, the loan program will still be suspended next school year.

“With the budget short fall, both statutory scholarships should be automatically be suspended for the time being until such time that enough funding will be available,” he said.

In an interview, he said off-island students deserve to get additional assistance since they are away from home and will most likely incur expenses.

To correct misconception on the $15,000 cap, the amount only covers recipients of the Full Scholarship grant who were earlier enjoying the best offer for their education.

“The impression that the public had was that everyone will be eligible of the $15,000. Unfortunately, this is only for the Full Scholarship,” he said.