Students deferment: Blame reckless cut of funds to GETFund for disbursement – Apaak

The deputy ranking member of the Education Committee in Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak has blamed the government for the inability of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to disburse money to students.

The National Union of Ghana Students(NUGS) has called for the immediate payment of student loans as thousands of students face difficulties in registering and continuing their academic activity on various campuses.

There are reports of non-payment of student loans after a long period of applications by students. Also, last semester’s arrears have reportedly not been paid.

A release by NUGS cautioned that students risk not being able to write their exams due to the inability to pay their fees as a result of non-payment of student loans.

Commenting on the issue on Starr Midday News with Naa Dedei Tetteh, Mr. Apaak stated that even though NUGS has not formally petitioned the committee, they have mentioned it during other engagements.

“The students had indicated that a lot of them who had applied to get loans from the student loan trust had not been successful. And that they have made all attempts to try and get the loan trust to meet its obligation to them so that they can pay their fees.

“So I can tell you as a Member of the Education Committee that our interaction with students and the student’s loan trust. And our interaction with the GETFund indicates one important issue that is making it impossible for the student loan trust to disburse loans to students. And that issue is the policy decision by the Akuffo Addo, Bawumia, and the NPP government to place a cut on monies that should go GETFund,” Mr. Apaak stated.

He continued: “Because GET Fund has been cut by 25%, all the levies that should be going to GETFund are not going to GETFund. Because GETFund is not getting sufficient funding, GETFund is therefore challenged in terms of providing funding to the student loan trust. Because the student loan trust depends on GETFund for funding which is then disbursed to students as loans.”