{"id":110446,"date":"2026-01-08T21:49:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T21:49:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=110446"},"modified":"2026-01-08T21:49:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T21:49:16","slug":"technical-students-union-kicks-against-scholarship-authority-board-over-absence-of-student-representation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=110446","title":{"rendered":"Technical Students\u2019 Union kicks against Scholarship Authority Board over absence of student representation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>2 Minute, 51 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
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The Ghana National Union of Technical Students (GNUTS) has raised objections to the inauguration of the Scholarship Authority Board, citing the exclusion of student representation as unacceptable and detrimental to effective scholarship governance.<\/p>\n

In a press statement issued on Thursday, January 8, GNUTS, the nationally recognised body representing students in Technical Universities, Technical Institutes and TVET-related institutions, said it was \u201cgravely concerned\u201d by the composition of the Board, which it noted does not include students.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a key stakeholder within Ghana\u2019s educational ecosystem, particularly in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training sector, GNUTS finds this omission both unacceptable and counterproductive,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

This follows the inauguration of the board by the education minister, Haruna Iddrisu.<\/p>\n

Read also: Education Minister inaugurates Governing Board of the Ghana Scholarships Authority<\/p>\n

The Union stressed that students are the primary beneficiaries of scholarships and should not be excluded from decision-making structures that directly affect their education and welfare. <\/p>\n

\u201cStudents are not peripheral actors in the scholarship framework; they are its central purpose,\u201d GNUTS stated, warning that any governance arrangement without student input raises concerns about \u201clegitimacy, equity, transparency, and democratic accountability\u201d.<\/p>\n

GNUTS noted that scholarships play a critical role in enabling technical students to acquire skills, undertake industrial training and improve employability, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. <\/p>\n

According to the Union, decisions taken by the Scholarship Authority on eligibility, disbursement timelines and sector prioritisation have a direct impact on students\u2019 academic progression and future productivity.<\/p>\n

The Union cautioned that excluding students from the Board risks detaching scholarship governance from the lived realities of beneficiaries. <\/p>\n

\u201cA Scholarship Authority Board that operates without student representation risks becoming disconnected from the needs of technical students, whose training requirements and cost structures differ significantly from those of traditional university students,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n

GNUTS also expressed concern that the absence of student voices could deepen existing inequalities in scholarship access for technical and TVET students. It pointed to persistent challenges such as inequitable allocation criteria, delays in disbursement, limited grievance redress mechanisms, and weak transparency.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout student representation, disparities in funding prioritisation and access risk worsening,\u201d the statement warned, adding that scholarship eligibility frameworks often fail to account for the cost of tools, equipment, workshops and industrial attachments required in technical education.<\/p>\n

The Union further argued that the exclusion of students contradicts Ghana\u2019s broader commitment to skills development, youth employment and industrial transformation. <\/p>\n

\u201cStudent representation on education-related boards has long been recognised as a democratic convention and best practice,\u201d GNUTS said, describing the current situation as a departure from participatory governance norms.<\/p>\n

As part of its demands, GNUTS said it \u201cunequivocally rejects the current composition of the Scholarship Authority Board\u201d and called for the immediate inclusion of a student representative, with specific consideration for technical and TVET students.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe call on the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Education and the Scholarship Authority to uphold the principles of inclusivity, fairness and participatory governance,\u201d the Union stated, while reaffirming its readiness to engage constructively with all stakeholders.<\/p>\n

GNUTS concluded by emphasising that a credible scholarship system cannot be governed without the involvement of students. \u201cA system that determines access to education, opportunity and social mobility cannot be governed about students, without students,\u201d the statement said, adding that excluding student representation \u201cerodes trust, weakens accountability, and undermines the very purpose of the Scholarship Authority\u201d.<\/p>\n

Below is the full statement by the Union<\/strong><\/p>\n