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The Minister of Education Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh and the
Executive Secretary of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment
(NaCCA) Dr. Prince Armah, have denied receiving scholarships to pursue further
studies under the current government.
Most Ghanaians have been incensed on social
media following an audit report that Dr.Prempeh and Dr. Armah including other
government appointees were granted scholarships by GETFund to support their
education.
GETFund , reacting to the news, clarified that
the officials were given the scholarship years before the current Akufo-Addo
administration, adding the Act which sets up the Fund “is not limited to needy
but brilliant students.”
“The Fund may, per its mandate, also provide
support for such other educational activities and programmes to serve strategic
national interests.
“The above having been served, it is worthy of
note that the aforementioned persons have not been awarded scholarships by the
Fund under the current administration,” the GETFund statement read.
The Education Minister and the NaCCA boss have
both reacted to the various media reports below:
I HAVE NOTED WITH DISAPPOINTMENT 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
Dr. Mathew OpokuPrempeh:
