Miha Lobnik calls for changes to state scholarship laws

Advocate Miha Lobnik is calling on members of the National Assembly to amend the Scholarship Act to prevent discrimination against students. He argues that current regulations prevent certain students from receiving state scholarships during their maturita course after completing vocational education.

The issue stems from Article 9 of the Scholarship Act, which prohibits granting scholarships for educational programs at a level equal to or lower than the level already achieved by the applicant. Because vocational graduates have already reached the fifth level of education, they are denied funding when attempting to complete a maturita course to qualify for general matura and higher education.

Lobnik contends that this policy disproportionately affects students from socially vulnerable families, as they may be unable to afford continued education without state support, thereby limiting their actual opportunities for further schooling compared to wealthier peers.