The Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has charged the newly inaugurated Governing Council of the Ghana Scholarship Authority to administer scholarships strictly based on merit, genuine need, national development priorities, and transparency.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Accra, the Minister said the establishment of the Authority fulfills a key campaign promise made by President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2024 general elections to eliminate cronyism and abuse in the award of government scholarships.
He observed that in the past, public office holders and politically connected individuals often exploited scholarship schemes to the disadvantage of needy but brilliant students, a practice he described as unacceptable and inconsistent with the principles of good governance.
This will no longer be an individual decision where someone simply decides to award a scholarship to a son, cousin, or politically connected person who already has the means, Mr. Iddrisu stressed. Scholarships must be guided strictly by merit, need, and national development priorities.
The Minister expressed confidence in the integrity and competence of the Governing Council, chaired by Mr. Samuel Garba, noting that scholarship awards must now reflect fairness, accountability, and the national interest. He added that emerging global demands, including artificial intelligence and other critical skills, should influence future scholarship allocations.
Mr. Iddrisu also underscored the importance of transparency, urging the Authority to publish the names of beneficiaries alongside clear justifications for each award. This is the era of transparency. Let the public know who has been awarded scholarships and why, he said.
Touching on broader challenges in higher education, the Minister called on universities to reform their training models to better align with industry and private-sector needs, citing concerns about graduate unemployment despite strong academic performance.
On funding, the Education Minister disclosed that the Ghana Scholarship Authority currently carries a debt of approximately US$834 million. He reiterated his proposal for a dedicated funding stream from petroleum royalty revenues to ensure sustainability and hinted at possible future reforms to integrate scholarship administration with student loan schemes.
Earlier, Board Chairman Mr. Samuel Garba expressed appreciation to President Mahama and the Education Minister for the confidence placed in the Council, describing the Board as a multidisciplinary team well-positioned to reform scholarship administration.
However, Mr. Garba cautioned that without adequate and reliable funding, the Authority would struggle to meet expectations, particularly in supporting students studying abroad. He noted that delays in tuition and stipend payments expose Ghanaian students overseas to hardship and damage the credibility of the scholarship system.
Sending students abroad without funding their tuition and stipends is harmful, he said, urging the Ministry of Finance to prioritize sustained investment in human capital development.
Mr. Garba assured the government and the public that the Board would operate ethically and diligently to ensure that scholarship awards meaningfully contribute to Ghanas national development goals.
Source: Eric Asare/myrepubliconline.com
