Breach

Applying to Repay The Scholarship Loan

Scholars can elect to repay all monies expended for their scholarship loan if they are unable to fulfill their stipulated period of obligatory service.

Scholars who are requesting to repay their scholarship loan should submit an official request to their relevant Scholar Support Officer for preparation of their calculation of indebtedness.

Repayment of the scholarship loan can either be made in full or the Scholar/Guarantor can choose to enter into a repayment agreement for the liquidation of the indebtedness.

Obtaining A Calculation of Indebtedness

Scholars can contact their relevant Scholar Support Officer or the Breach Unit, SATD, Ministry of Education, to obtain a calculation of their indebtedness with all accrued interest.

Rate of Interest

The applicable rate of interest is 7.75 percent per annum.

Calculation of Interest

Interest is calculated on the total amount loaned from the month of first installment of the loan paid to or on behalf of the scholar and continues to accrue until such time that the scholar has entered into a repayment agreement with the GoRTT.

In instances where the scholar is in receipt of two (2) or more Scholarships and opts to repay, interest shall accrue from the date of the first installment of the first scholarship, including the period during which the scholar pursued subsequent studies.

In instances where the scholar has served a period of obligatory service between such scholarships, interest will accrue from the date of first installment up to the date of reporting and will also accrue from the date that the scholar ceased his/her obligatory service to the GoRTT.

Terms of Repayment

The terms of repayment are based on the scholar’s prescribed period of obligatory service. The GoRTT may, in its sole discretion, agree to extend the period of repayment up to a maximum period of ten (10) years. In such cases, the scholar/guarantor will be required to provide documentary evidence outlining his/her current financial status should he/she be unable to repay within the prescribed period of obligatory service. 

Making Payments

Payments can be made via Manager’s Cheque. All cheques should be made payable to The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education.

Obtaining A Balance Owed On Loan

Scholars who are repaying their scholarship loan can contact the Breach Unit, SATD, Ministry of Education, to obtain an outstanding balance on their scholarship loan.

Applying To Re-Enter Service Instead Of Repayment

Scholars who choose to repay in lieu of obligatory service are required to sign a contract/Repayment Agreement. This Agreement outlines the terms and conditions of repayment for a specific period. It should be noted that the Agreement does not speak of Re-Entering service should the scholar decide they no longer want to repay their indebtedness.

In the absence of an approved Breach Policy, the SATD is guided by the terms and conditions outlied in the Repayment Agreement.

However, should the scholar decide to cease payment and provide service, they must submit an official request and be granted approval by the Permanent Secretary.

SATD is recommending that only scholars who have secured employment in the Public Sector can be considered. This is in keeping with the Policy On The Placement and Employment of Government Scholars, which states

  • Policy Statement
    • Clause 1.1 – “The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GoRTT) through its strategic Priorities is committed to ‘building the human resource capacity’ within the country. Trained and qualified recipients of Government scholarships are required to fill the existing demand for human resources within the country. The Scholarships and Training Division (SATD) has created and continues to sustain partnerships with key stakeholders and agencies to ensure that recipients of Government scholarships, hereinafter referred to as the scholar, fill the national human resource gaps identified. The Policy covers the terms and conditions governing the placement and employment of scholars who have reported to fulfill their obligation to GoRTT.”
  • Policy Objectives – 2.1 This Policy claims to:
    • Clause 2.1.1 – “support the Government’s strategic objective of building and enhancing the human resource capacity through a knowledge-based economy;”
    • Clause 2.1.3 – “maximize the return on investment by ensuring that scholar’s knowledge and skills are effectively utilized for the development of Trinidad and Tobago.”
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Applying To Repay Instead Of Continuing To Serve

Scholars can opt to repay instead of continuing to serve their stipulated period of obligatory service. In such cases, an official request should be made in writing to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education.

The value of time already served in months, will be deducted from the total monies expended on the scholarship loan including all interest accrued. The scholar will be required to repay the outstanding balance owed. In such cases, the scholar will be required to enter into a repayment agreement with the GoRTT for the liquidation of their indebtedness.

Release From Obligatory Service

Scholars who have liquidated their indebtedness with the GoRTT will be released from contractual obligation