Law requires Education Ministry approval for scholarships

TDT | Manama

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MPs approved yesterday a bill requiring all public and private bodies to obtain the Education Ministry’s permission before offering scholarships, shifting control over study funding to the state in a bid to match degrees with market needs.

The amendment affects Clause 11 of Article 5 in the 2005 Education Law.

It gives the Ministry the final say on any scholarship or grant offered by ministries, stateowned firms or private organisations, whether inside or outside Bahrain.

MP Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, who submitted the proposal, said the change is intended to bring order to student funding and ensure academic programmes reflect actual requirements.

He referred to the Constitution, which commits the state to supporting education and research, as the legal foundation for the move.

The Services Committee, after reviewing the proposal, supported it unanimously. In its report, it noted that the new text formalises arrangements already in practice.

The Ministry of Education, in a written response to the committee, referred to Decision No. 20 of 2011, which established the Ministry as the sole authority to approve government-funded scholarships.

That decision requires all ministries and public bodies to hand over their student sponsorship schemes to the Ministry for review and clearance.

Cabinet instructions issued in June 2013 extended this requirement to the private sector.