The French system of attributing scholarships to local university students is a crying injustice, a New Caledonia politician says.
Philippe Dunoyer made the comment in the French National Assembly, adding that the unitary approach failed to take into account New Caledonia's high cost of living.
New Caledonia's Budget Minister Philippe Dunoyer Photo: AFP
He said living expenses being 70 percent higher than in mainland France meant that means-tested eligibility barred many from obtaining support.
In addition, he said New Caledonian students not entitled to scholarship support also missed out on subsidised air travel to and from France.
In contrast, a much higher percentage of students from other French overseas territories such as Martinique and Mayotte benefit from the scholarship system, Mr Dunoyer said.