The Education Minister and Executive Secretary of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) have reacted to a report in which they were listed as beneficiaries of government scholarship programme for the poor.

The two are the first among a tall list of Government appointees to respond to the report, which released on Sunday.

The Education Minister in a release issued through the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Vincent Ekow Assifuah, says the publication is false” and “vexatious”.

A performance audit report of the Auditor-General on the administration of scholarships by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) revealed, Dr. Opoku-Prempeh, Procurement Minister and Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo as well as Prince Hamidu Armah, as persons who have benefitted from the scheme between 2012 and 2018.

The Education Minister is listed as studying National and International Security at Harvard University, receiving $12,800 for living expenses and $11,200 as tuition fees, while Procurement Minister, Sarah Adwoa Safo is also listed studying at the Harvard Kennedy School enjoying $12,800 in allowances with $17,004 in tuition fees.

Dr. Armah is studying Philosophy in Education at the University of Aberdeen, which comes with a benefit of £38,400 for living expenses in addition to £33,000 for tuition fees.

However the  NaCCA boss, Prince Hamidu Armah, has defended his inclusion in the list benefactors.

He said he secured the funding support before he became the head of NaCCA, therefore, denying the impression the publication sought to create that his application was granted due to his position.

“...I urge the public to disregard this palpably false story that is driven purely by the worst political instincts that we must work to banish from my nation, while we actively work to expand opportunity and bridge the social and economic inequalities in our nation, a task I am fully committed to in my duties at the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment,” Dr. Armah said in a statement.

The full statement is published below:

Statement from Dr Prince Armah in reaction to false media reportage about GETFund scholarship

I have noted with disappoinment a news story carried in some sections of the media, notably myjoyonline.com and echoed on social media, which suggests that I abused my position as a government appointee to procure a scholarship from the Ghana Education Trust Fund for studies in the United Kingdom.

First of all, had any of these media houses attempted the barest due diligence, including but not limited to a check on my publicly available records, they would have noticed that my studies at the Aberdeen University in the United Kingdom predated my entry into public service by at least three years.

However, for the avoidance of doubt, let the following be noted.

1. That I am indeed a proud and grateful recipient of a Ghana Education Trust Fund scholarship.

2. That I applied for and won the scholarship in 2012 to study for a doctorate in Mathematics Education at the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom in 2012

3. That not only was this scholarship deserved, it was validated, if that were needed, by several awards and grants awarded by various institutions in the United Kingdom during my period of study

4. That in fulfilment of the promise I made, I immediately returned to Ghana after my studies, despite the opportunity and ability to remain in the UK to take up more lucrative appointments.

5. That I believe that the scholarship scheme we have is best used to support needy students, as I was then, in order to give them a chance to contribute to the task of nation building, as I have done every day since my studies.

In conclusion, I urge the public to disregard this palpably false story that is driven purely by the worst political instincts that we must work to banish from my nation, while we actively work to expand opportunity and bridge the social and economic inequalities in our nation, a task I am fully committed to in my duties at the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

Sgd

Prince Hamid Armah, PhD
Executive Secretary
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment

Below is the full list of beneficiaries:

Source: myjoyonline.com