MPs criticise distribution of GETFund

Members of Parliament have criticised the formula for the distribution of the Ghana Education Trust Fund. The MPs however acknowledged that the mode of distribution this year has been better than last year. There are fears that the well-endowed institutions will continue to benefit more from the fund at the expense of the poor ones whose plight and concerns necessitated the creation of the fund.

The GET fund is funded by the additional 2.5 % increase in the VAT rate. Contributing to a motion for the adoption of a report on the distribution formula for the GETfund, the NDC member for Builsa South, Norbert Awulley said this year (quote)s formula for distributing the fund failed to address the concerns of historically disadvantaged societies in the country.

He said no money was set aside to reduce illiteracy in these poor societies as demanded by the law that established the fund. Mr. Awulley accused the Governing Board of the GETfund of non-compliance with some of the important rules including the periodic issuance of reports on the fund.

NDC member for Ho Central Kofi Attor said it is wrong that the distribution of the fund is limited to only those schools under Ministry of Education. He said the Ghana Institute of Journalism, National Institute of Film and Television, and other schools that train professionals but are not under the Ministry of Education should be included on the list of beneficiaries.

Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, NDC-Gomoa West, said the disabled or the physically challenged were left out of the distribution. Mr Kosi Kedem, Ranking member on Education, asked the GETFund administrators to look outside the proceeds from the Value Added Tax and seek other avenues for raising money for the fund.

He said the Fund should establish proper links with the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) student (quote)s loan scheme so that money channelled into it could be properly accounted for.

Mr Sarkodie Addo, Chairman, Committee on Education, called for a mechanism that would identify true needy students that were supposed to draw the fund. He lauded the Fund for giving the Ghana Library Board money to improve on its stocking position. An amount of 390 billion cedis is expected to accrue to the fund this year.