Ni Vanuatu Students

The Ministry of Education confirmed that the students were last Saturday.

This is the second repatriation of students coming in from Fiji, with the first taking place last month.

The students were quarantined at Ramada Resort in Nadi before departing Fiji.

Those returning are confirmed to be Vanuatu government scholarship students, Vanuatu National Provident Fund students as well as private scholarship students.

This is the last repatriation flight of students for the year, with the next taking place next year.

Tony Wright, a former Port Vila MP who is in New Caledonia, said the students cannot stay at the campus because of outstanding bills.

Mr Wright said according to reports he's received, the students haven't been paid their allowances for November.

He said some ni-Vanuatu communities in New Caledonia have been fund raising to assist them.

The nuns said they are happy to house the students.

Last week marked the end of the study year but the students are unable to return to Port Vila because the borders is closed due to the pandemic.

The two flights were scheduled to take the students on Friday.

The Ministry of Education and Training said the Scholarship Board will make a decision.

The students will be undertaking studies at various universities under the sponsorship of the Vanuatu Government and through the Member’s Education Support Scheme of the Vanuatu National Provident Fund.

Semester One of the University of the South Pacific (USP) will commence on Monday, 1 March.