The YAFO Institute has welcomed Parliament’s consideration of the Ghana Scholarships Authority Bill, 2025, describing it as a “game-changing” step toward improving transparency, fairness, and accessibility in the award of government scholarships.
In a public statement, the institute expressed support for the bill’s current provisions, especially its focus on meritocracy, STEM promotion, and regional equity, but called for further decentralisation to ensure the inclusion of Ghana’s most marginalised learners.
The bill, currently under review by the Joint Committee on Education, Public Administration, and State Interests and Civil Society Organisations, seeks to establish a legal framework for administering government scholarships in line with national development priorities.
It also mandates collaboration with the National Development Planning Commission to align scholarship awards with critical human resource needs.
The YAFO Institute is advocating for greater community-level involvement, particularly through basic school head teachers, in the scholarship nomination process. “We propose an innovative expansion of the decentralised scholarship framework that actively involves basic school head teachers (both private and public) in identifying and supporting needy and brilliant students,” the think tank said.
Highlighting the existing gap between eligible students and available scholarship opportunities, YAFO said head teachers are “uniquely positioned to understand the socioeconomic challenges and academic potential of students,” especially in rural and underserved communities.
According to the Institute, empowering these teachers to nominate candidates would reduce bureaucratic delays and curb biases and corruption that have characterised the scholarship system since the Scholarship Secretariat was created in 1960.
Clauses 4 to 12 of the Bill establish a governing board with representation from ministries, the Attorney-General’s office, and industry groups. However, YAFO has raised concerns about the absence of grassroots voices.
“The proposed board lacks grassroots representation, such as head teachers or community education leaders, who possess critical proximity and knowledge of local students’ needs and potential,” the Institute stated, recommending that one seat be reserved for a head teacher nominated by the Ghana Education Service or relevant associations.
The Institute’s proposal includes a formal nomination system through the Ghana Scholarships Authority’s portal, capacity-building workshops for head teachers, local verification committees, and performance-based incentives for schools that successfully nominate students.
This, it noted, might include financial rewards, professional development opportunities, or public recognition, arguing that such efforts would “build a culture of proactive social mobility through scholarship.”
YAFO also advocated for the integration of a decentralised framework with the bill’s STEM objectives, promoting STEM-focused student nominations, local technical institution partnerships, and mentorship opportunities.
YAFO supports the proposed enhancements to the Scholarship Bill, stating they will help scholarships reach the most deserving students while eliminating political patronage, corruption, and nepotism in scholarship administration.
The think tank emphasized that the proposed improvements align with Ghana’s Shared Growth and Development Agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goal on quality education.
YAFO called on the Joint Committee and Parliament to adopt the proposed changes and encouraged collaboration with the Ghana Education Service, private school owners, CHASS, and civil society.
“Together, we can empower Ghanaian dreams, remove barriers to education, and create a more promising future for our country,” it said, adding that a pilot rollout in selected districts would be a practical first step.
The Institute reiterated its readiness to partner with the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to help implement the Ghana Scholarships Authority Bill and contribute to the realisation of a transparent, inclusive, and impactful scholarship regime in Ghana.
Read the full press release here.
