There should be a dedicated fund to support scholarship secretariat - Oscar Provencal

Actor Oscar Provencal has called for the establishment of a dedicated and sustainable national fund to support the Scholarship Secretariat, following recent reports of Ghanaian students in the United Kingdom facing perilous living conditions due to delays in government funding.

Speaking on the GTV Breakfast Show, the celebrated actor expressed concern over the growing number of scholarship beneficiaries stranded abroad without stipends, accommodation support, or basic welfare assistance.

He stressed that the situation not only dents the country’s international reputation but also undermines the academic progress and mental well-being of the affected students.

Provencal argued that the recurring funding crises signal a deeper structural problem within the country’s scholarship management system.

According to him, relying solely on annual budgetary allocations often subject to delays and political pressures puts students at unnecessary risk. He emphasized that a dedicated fund, properly ring-fenced and transparently managed, would guarantee predictable disbursements and ensure that students pursuing education abroad can focus on their studies without fear of abandonment.

He further suggested that such a fund could draw from multiple revenue streams, including public-private partnerships.

The actor also urged government agencies, especially the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance, to adopt a more proactive approach in addressing the plight of students overseas. He noted that the contributions of Ghanaian scholars abroad are critical to national development, and failing to support them compromises the country’s human capital investment.