SHURA Council members yesterday blocked plans for a new government fund to support university students studying in the country and abroad.
They backed a recommendation by a joint committee of the services and financial and economic affairs committees, saying the fund was unnecessary.
A similar vote in over the parliament-backed proposal last month left the council deadlocked.
Joint committee secretary Dr Shaikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said that the fund was not in line with the government's plan to boost the labour market.
"The country will end up funding graduates in unnecessary specialisations, without vacancies for them being available in the labour market," he said.
"Businessmen are obliged to pump money into the fund, according to one of its articles, but businessmen are already paying for education and training to the Labour Fund (Tamkeen)."
Council legislative and legal affairs committee vice-chairman Sayed Habib Hashim said that the money the fund would be getting from the government would be better spent improving educational and training facilities in the country."
"The money could go, for example, to the Bahrain Training Institute (BTI), which is in need of more funding to help it improve, rather than having the money directed to individuals who may or may not help fulfil the demands of the labour market," he said.
Education Minister Dr Majid Al Nuaimi backed the council's recommendation, saying that forcing businessmen to support was wrong, considering they would not benefit from the students if they choose a specialisation the market doesn't need.
"A fund at Bahrain University already exempts students from paying education fees," he said.
"We give top secondary school graduates the right to choose whatever specialisation they like, without forcing anything on them and and they get financial allowances and gifts, so with or without the fund, they are already getting the help they need."
Higher Education Council secretary-general Dr Alawi Al Hashimi told councillors in December that the government was already giving scholarships and fellowships to students.
He said that there was no need for the fund because help was already given to students through the educational facilities provided by the ministry, whether it is scholarships or fellowships. The fund also failed to differentiate between students who are excelling academically and those who are not, Dr Al Hashimi said.
