Government budgets GHS20 million for Free SHS graduates’ tertiary scholarship

An estimated amount of GHS20 million has been budgeted as expenditure for the government’s tertiary scholarship programme for the first graduates of the Free Senior High School (SHS).

The amount set aside is to cater for 15,000 beneficiaries for the 2020/2021 academic year.

A statement from the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat indicated that the scholarship covers academic facility user fees for all accredited public and private local tertiary institutions.

All Free SHS graduates who sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 2020 and have gained admission or have applied for admission or have applied for admission into an accredited local tertiary institution are eligible to apply.

Meanwhile, the application has been opened between 1st – 5th December 2020 while the nationwide selection interviews have been slated for 16th – 29th December 2020.

The application has been hosted online.

This comes after the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) promised to absorb in full the fees of all students who will be admitted to tertiary institutions in 2021.

The party announced this in a statement on Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

According to the party, the policy, dubbed “fa ninyinaa”, was a recommendation by the party’s Education Policy Group which has been accepted and incorporated into its 2020 election manifesto.

The party in its manifesto, originally indicated that it will absorb 50% of the fees for the 2020/2021 academic year.

“This policy is an enhancement of our commitment in the People’s Manifesto to absorb 50% of the school fees of all tertiary students for the 2020/2021 academic year through the “KYEMUPE” policy, which will now apply to only continuing students in tertiary institutions in the country,” the NDC said.

The statement signed by the NDC’s chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo said candidate John Mahama will throw more light on the new decision in due course.