Government to release scholarships worth GHC40 million

Ghanaian students in public and private tertiary institutions are to benefit from GHC40 million in government scholarships.

The scholarships are being disbursed among an estimated 29,000 students.

This was announced by the Registrar of Scholarships, Kingsley Agyemang, at a press conference on Monday.

Institutions covered

Agyemang said the bursaries will cover payment of the students’ academic facility user fees.

Nursing training colleges, colleges of education, technical and vocational universities and polytechnics are covered by the scheme, he said.

University colleges, universities, accredited post-secondary schools and other diploma-awarding institutes are also included.

GHC12m for private unis

The Registrar of Scholarships further said that GHC12 million out of the GHC40 million has been set aside for students in private tertiary institutions.

This is in line with a directive from President Akufo-Addo, Agyemang said, adding that the bursaries should come as good news to private universities and colleges of higher education.

“[The allocation] is indicative of the fact that President Akufo-Addo puts premium on education,” Agyemang said. “He is carrying everybody along, both private and public universities.

“This is good news for our brothers and sisters in the local tertiary institutions.”

70,000 winners by 2021

Agyemang said the Scholarships Secretariat was working with the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) to ensure that all deserving students across the country benefit.

According to him, the Secretariat, together with the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), has provided GHC80 million to expand the number of beneficiary students for the 2020/21 academic year.

“What this means is that the number of beneficiaries will increase to about 70,000 students by the end of the academic year,” he said.

E A Alanore

* Asaase Radio 99.5 FM. Coming to a dial near you.

* Twitter: @asaaseradio995