The Member of Parliament (MP) for Effia Constituency, Lawyer Isaac Boamah Nyarko, is calling for a complete change to how scholarships are given in Ghana. He says the current system is unfair, corrupt, and does not help the students who need support.
Speaking in an interview, the MP said many students in his area, especially those at Takoradi Technical University, are struggling to pay their fees. According to him, most of them don’t even need full scholarships. Some just need help with tuition or other small costs.
“Someone’s scholarship is just a matter of a ticket,” he explained. “A school would have provided tuition and other benefits, but the person just needs upkeep. But because we’ve made people believe that government scholarships cover everything, from fees to food, everybody is fighting for it.”
He said this misunderstanding is causing problems because there is not enough money to support everyone. “We rely on central government and the money does not come on time. So students are left struggling for months,” he said
Lawyer Boamah Nyarko believes a new law should be made to guide how scholarships are given. He said Ghana should only send students abroad for training when the course is not available in the country.
“Why would someone go and study administration or human resource in the UK or US, when the same courses are available in Ghana?” he asked. “One scholarship outside could train over 20 students here.”
He also questioned the results of some of these foreign scholarships. “You can’t even tell if the person will return and help the country. Some just stay abroad, and we can’t hold them accountable for the bond they signed.”
The MP did not hold back when speaking about corruption in the Scholarship Secretariat. He said the system is controlled by political appointees and is full of bribery and favouritism.
“People are taking bribes. You go to the Secretariat, and someone tells you they will give you the scholarship, but when you get your money, you have to give them a part,” he said. “We are behaving like ostriches, pretending not to see.”
To stop this, he proposed that scholarships should no longer be handled by the central Scholarship Secretariat. Instead, they should be managed at the district or regional level with an open and fair process.
“You don’t need a Scholarship Secretariat,” he said. “Set up local offices. Let people apply online. In America, people get full scholarships and nobody sees them it’s all done online based on need and performance.”
He suggested a new method that checks a student’s grades, their parents’ income, and their ability to pay. Then, based on this information, students can get 60%, 80%, or even 100% of their fees paid.
“Anybody who is in need can apply,” he said. “It should not be for the children of ministers and party people.”
Finally, the MP warned that if any new law comes to support the current Secretariat, especially under former President John Mahama, he will strongly oppose it in Parliament.
“I don’t want to see John Mahama bring a law to empower this same Scholarship Secretariat,” he warned. “MPs and ministers will just send their girlfriends and boyfriends to enjoy it, while poor students suffer.”
Lawyer Boamah Nyarko said it is time for real change: “Let’s take the bull by the horn and do what is right. The new law should come as soon as possible.”
Author: Tony Krapa
