Parliament is set to pass the National Scholarship Authority Bill by the end of this week, in what officials say is a crucial step toward reforming Ghana’s scholarship system and improving oversight.
The move comes in the wake of a growing controversy involving nearly 200 Ghanaian students at the University of Memphis in the United States, who are facing academic dismissal, visa complications, and eviction due to unpaid tuition and housing fees.
The financial obligations were to be covered under a 2023 Memorandum of Understanding signed between the university and the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, with an agreed allocation of $3.6 million.
Chairman of Parliament’s Education Committee, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, revealed that the scandal has prompted swift legislative action.
“Some of the students are being asked to leave the country, and some have been evicted from their hostels. What is worrying now is that we need to investigate how these scholarships were awarded because you’ll find that the process was plagued by corruption and nepotism,” he stated.
In response to the crisis, Nortsu-Kotoe revealed that President John Mahama has directed that the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat be placed under the Ministry of Education for better oversight.
“That is why the President has directed that the scholarship sector should now go under the Ministry of Education for effective supervision,” he noted.
He also disclosed that the Minister for Education has presented the National Scholarship Authority Bill to Parliament, aimed at reforming the current scholarship framework. The bill, now under consideration by the Education Committee, proposes the establishment of a board to oversee scholarship awards and enhance transparency.
“We sat on the bill yesterday, and I can assure you that by the end of the week, we should be able to pass the National Scholarship Authority Bill. This will allow for the creation of a board to monitor scholarship awards and streamline activities,” he said.
