Kingsley Agyemang
The Director of the Scholarship Secretariat, Kingsley Agyemang, has told DAILY GUIDE that government will begin disbursing the remaining 80 percent of funds to schools under the free Senior High School (SHS) programme.
According to him, the delay in the payment of the arrears was due to the delay in the submission of returns by the schools.
He said out of the over 600 schools, only 56 had submitted their returns, indicating that the Secretariat would make the payment after all the schools had submitted their returns.
“The payment would be made once and for all to avoid the situation where monies will get into the wrong hands.
“Before schools go on vacation, the remaining 80 percent of their monies will hit their accounts for their operations.”
Mr Agyemang condemned the comments by the head of CHASS who said schools risk closure due to the lack of funds to implement the free SHS.
Government has disbursed 20 percent of the funds needed to run the free SHS policy and the remaining 80 percent however is expected to hit the accounts of school before they break for the Christmas festive seasons.
Meanwhile, government has paid all outstanding 2016/2017 second term arrears, which accumulated to a tune of GH?54 million.
The 2017/2018 first term monies have been paid with 50% of 2017/2018 second term paid as well.
Currently, the only outstanding arrears is the 2016/2017 third term, and this is the first time in the history of local government scholarships that government only has an outstanding debt of one term.
“Over the years, it has always been 2 to 3 terms arrears.”
In related development, government has released $50 million to clear all outstanding foreign scholarship debts of Ghanaian students studying abroad.
Mr Agyemang appealed to all Ghanaian students studying abroad to comport themselves and raise the flag of Ghana high.
“It’s a rear privilege to study abroad on government scholarship, the fact that payment has delayed shouldn’t force the students to engage in activities that will tarnish the name and image of Ghana.”
From Eric Kombat, Tamale