By Banele Magongo
MBABANE – The Ministry of Labour and social Security warns the public about individuals demanding payments in exchange for government scholarships.
According to Acting Ministry of Labour and Social Security Principal Secretary (PS) Anthony Masilela, these individuals are not affiliated with the government and any payment made to them will not guarantee scholarship awards.
“The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has learned that certain individuals are falsely claiming to be able to guarantee scholarships in exchange for a fee. This has come to light after reports that a number of students from Eswatini Medical Christian University (EMCU) have been approached by these scammers. The Ministry reminded students and their families that scholarships are awarded based on merit, and no payment is required to secure a scholarship,” said Masilela, in a statement sent to various media houses in the country.
Masilela further said the ministry made it clear that they were not associated with these individuals or their claims. He said the Ministry would also like to clarify the process for awarding scholarships, which was handled by a Scholarship Board. This Board evaluated applications between June and December each year, and made decisions based on merit, not on any fees paid.
The Ministry, according to Masilela, is concerned about the harm that may be caused by these false claims, and asks the public to report any instances of this type of fraud. The acting PS also encourages students and their families to be cautious of any promises of scholarships that involved payment.
