By: Maltiti Sayida Sadick
The Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has disclosed that the Ghana Scholarships Authority is currently saddled with a debt of about GH¢834 million, describing the situation as deeply worrying and unsustainable.
To address the challenge, the Minister revealed that he is proposing for government to dedicate 2.5 percent of Ghana’s petroleum revenue to the Authority to stabilize its finances and ensure the timely payment of scholarships and allowances.
He added that he had suggested as well the collapsing of the Students Loan Trust Fund and merging it with the Ghana Scholarships Authority, with the aim of managing the government’s flagship “No Fees Stress” policy under a single, more efficient structure.
“These reforms are necessary if we are to restore confidence in the scholarship system and prevent students from being abandoned while studying abroad,” he stated.
Speaking on behalf of the newly inaugurated Governing Council, Chairman Mr. Samuel Garba expressed concern over the plight of Ghanaian students overseas who are often left stranded due to delayed stipends and allowances.
He assured that the council would work to reposition the Authority to support students pursuing courses that are relevant to Ghana’s development needs in the 21st century.
The 14-member Governing Council includes representatives from the Ministries of Education, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Labour, Gender, Youth Development, the Student Loan Trust Fund, the Attorney-General’s Department, the Association of Ghana Industries, civil society, and two presidential nominees. The council is led by the chairman Mr Samuel Garba, and the members are Dr. Saajida Shiraz representative of the Student Loan Trust Fund, Inusah Shiraz Esq. representative of the education ministry, Ms Nelly Mireku representative of ministry of finance, Hamidu Adaurugu Esq. representative of the. Ministry responsible for Labour, jobs and employment, Eric Akuetteh Ahele representative from ministry of youth empowerment and development, Mr Alexander Grant Ntrakwa representative of ministry of foreign affairs, Ms Vida Owusua Mensah representative of ministry of gender, Fredrica Salla Illiasu Esq. representative of the Attorney General, Ms Joyce Ababio representative of the Association of Ghana Industries, Dr Daniel Botchwey representative of civil society, Mr Alexander Kwaku Asafo Adjei Director General of Ghana Scholarship Authority, and Professor Benedicta Yayra Fosu-Mensah and Honorable Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie both nominated by the President of the Republic.
Members of the council swore the oath of office, committing themselves to serve with integrity and dedication to transform the scholarship administration system for the benefit of the nation.
