About 30,000 tertiary students across Ghana have received scholarships from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. That’s according to reports.
Their tuition fees are said to be paid under the District Scholarship Scheme, (DSS), run by the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat, (GSS).
The District Scholarship Scheme was introduced by President Akufo-Addo and launched in Takoradi, Western Regional capital in July this year.
The scheme is expected to drive the government’s developmental agenda by empowering the Metropolitans, Municipals and Districts to award scholarships to needy but brilliant students and deserving ones as well.
Registrar of the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat, Kingsley Agyemang, who disclosed this to the media, said with funding amounts of GH¢ 60,000, GH¢ 80,000 and GH¢ 100,000 made available to the MMDAs, the various assemblies received scholarships applications.
He also said the MMDAs organised selection interviews and made recommendations for awards, and following interviews, 30,000 students from the MMDAs, who qualified after appearing before the District Scholarship Review Committee, were awarded the scholarships.
According to him, the committee was made up of Chief Executives of the Assemblies as Chairpersons, a Representative from the Traditional Authorities, a Representatives from Tertiary Institutions/Ghana Education Service.
He revealed that the beneficiaries are pursuing various courses from diplomas to PhDs level.
He said: “Today we have seen that Ghanaians voted for a President who ‘walks the talk’. Free meritorious tertiary education is a possibility and it is here to stay.”
In his view, the Scheme will ensure that scholarship opportunities are distributed nationwide to the needy but brilliant students through the Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies.
He stated that the scheme will not only ensure accessibility but transparency as well.
Adding that: “In terms of transparency, the Scholarship Secretariat has and continues to operate an open-door policy. What this decentralisation seeks to do is to now take this open-door policy right to the doorsteps of students in their districts. We are making sure all the major stakeholders become part of the process.”
Source: DGN
