Government should depoliticise scholarships – Education Watch

The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare has asked the government to depoliticize the scholarship scheme.

He claimed that most deserving students are unable to access the scheme due to politicisation of the programme.

In a statement, Mr Asante explained that the minimum cost of scholarship for a needy but brilliant tertiary students is GH¢4,000/year: 2,500 for academic facility user fees & others, 1,500 for accommodation & related expenses.

“Under the GNPC scholarship, students receive up to GH¢7,000 a year. The scholarship secretariat claims to have budgeted GH¢20 million for local tertiary scholarships (freshmen). That is great! The said amount, when administered @ 4,000/Year, can take care of 5,000 students out of government’s anticipated 200,000 freshmen.

“We believe is better to administer full scholarships to needy students who have no means of enrolling and completing tertiary than administer GHC 1,300/year handouts which takes care of less than 50% academic and residential user fees, putting students at high risk of dropping out,” he said.

He added “Moving forward, it is very important to de-politicize the award of scholarships, and ensure fairness and transparency in the process. Knowing how things work in that office, the greatest fear is the likely event of the list of members of the NPP-free SHS graduate association which was launched a week ago, and whose coordinator is the Head of the Scholarship Secretariat being used as the approved scholarship list.

“The criteria for selection & list of beneficiaries should be published for all to see. In conclusion, we recommend full scholarships for 5,000 needy students and not partial scholarships for 15,000.”