Ghanaian civil society organizations (CSOs) in the education sector are demanding an immediate end to the Ghana Education Trust Fund’s (GETFund) program offering foreign master’s degree scholarships.
The CSOs, including Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) and the Institute for Education Studies (IFEST-Ghana), argue that the program is a misuse of taxpayer money. They point to several reasons:
- Legality: The CSOs claim GETFund’s action is illegal. They cite the GETFund Act which allocates funds to support scholarships managed by the National Scholarship Secretariat, not for direct administration of foreign scholarships by GETFund.
- Funding Priorities: The CSOs argue there are more pressing needs within Ghana’s education system. They highlight the limited funding for the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) which leaves many Ghanaian students struggling to afford tertiary education within the country. Additionally, they point out the significant number of schools lacking proper infrastructure.
- Value for Money: The CSOs argue that scholarships for programs already offered in Ghana are wasteful, especially considering the high cost of studying abroad compared to domestic options.
The CSOs are urging several actions:
- Parliamentary Intervention: They request Parliament to block the program as it wasn’t included in the approved 2024 GETFund budget.
- Ministerial Action: They call on the Education Minister to instruct GETFund to stop the scholarship application process.
- Following Audit-General Recommendations: The CSOs emphasize the need for GETFund to adhere to the Auditor-General’s 2019 recommendation to cease administering foreign scholarships and transfer funds to the Scholarship Secretariat.
This story highlights the debate over resource allocation in education spending. The CSOs prioritize using funds to address domestic needs and ensure affordability for Ghanaian students.
