Gov't to Sponsor 10 Best WASSCE Candidates With GETFund Scholarships Every Year
- The Ghanaian government has introduced a new initiative to award full scholarships to the top 10 WASSCE candidates every other year
- Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, disclosed that President Mahama expanded the original plan from three to ten scholarship recipients
- The scholarships will be fully funded through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and awarded based on academic merit by WAEC
- Suleman Dadzie, an educationist and counsellor praised the government for the initiative in an interview with YEN.com.gh
The Ghanaian government has announced a new initiative to sponsor the top 10 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) candidates with full scholarships every other year.
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, made the announcement at the WAEC Distinction Awards in Accra.
Source: UGC
Speaking at the event, the minister disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama has expanded the original plan from three to benefit 10 exceptional candidates.
“I have the pleasure of President John Dramani Mahama to announce today that these award winners, originally three, will now be expanded to ten. All awardees, the overall best-performing candidates in WASSCE every other year, will be determined solely by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and will qualify for President Mahama’s scholarship,” he said.
According to Haruna Iddrisu, the scholarships will be fully funded through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).
He added that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) will determine the recipients based solely on academic merit, without any external interference.
Source: Facebook
President Mahama's vision for education
This initiative aligns with President Mahama's commitment to education and regional development.
Recently, he announced a separate scholarship program for 1,000 students across the ECOWAS sub-region to study in Ghanaian universities, aiming to strengthen regional bonds and foster unity among West African youth.
President Mahama's investment in education is expected to motivate students to excel academically and promote Ghana's educational sector.
By recognising and rewarding academic excellence, the government hopes to inspire future generations of leaders and innovators.
Mahama announces No-Academic-Fee policy
Meanwhile, President Mahama has honoured his pledge to implement a policy of no academic fees for all first-year students in all public tertiary institutions.
In the 2025 budget, GH¢499.8 million was allocated for the No-Academic-Fee policy for all first-year students in public tertiary institutions under the ‘No-Fees-Stress’ initiative.
The government has also uncapped the GETFund in the hope of making available dedicated funds for the full financing of free tertiary education for Persons with Disability.
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Reactions to scholarships for best-performing WASSCE students
Ghanaians on social media, who came across the news of the government’s decision to award scholarships to the 10 best-performing WASSCE students, took to the comment section to share their views.
YEN.com.gh compiled a few of the comments below:
@Frimpong Bernard said:
"Abi, during your campaign, you said free SHS, WAEC gives out questions to students so that they can pass. So, the 2025 batch will be your first graduating students from Free SHS, so if they pass, will you be there and say it's the help of WAEC Anaa, Mr President??"
@Alhassan Adam also said:
"Good idea, but that may end up going to candidates who may not need it.
@Emmanuel Kant Agbemehin commented:
"Which criteria will be used in selecting the WASSCE candidates now that most of the learners don't write the examinations on their own."
Also reacting to this in an interview with YEN.com.gh, Suleman Dadzie, an educationist and counsellor said that the government's plan to award the top ten best-performing WASSCE candidates annually was a commendable step towards recognising academic excellence
He added that incentivising top performers could motivate students to strive for excellence and potentially lead to improved educational outcomes nationwide.
However, Mr Dadzie emphasised the need for a transparent, fair, and inclusive selection process to maintain credibility and inspire confidence.
"This initiative by the Government of Ghana is a commendable step towards recognising and rewarding academic excellence among high school students. By incentivising top performers, the government can motivate students to strive for excellence, potentially leading to improved educational outcomes nationwide. However, it's crucial to ensure the selection process is transparent, fair, and inclusive to maintain credibility and inspire confidence among students and the broader community," he said.
No direct refund under Mahama's No-Academic-Fee policy
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the government would no longer refund fees to university students as part of the no-fee stress policy.
Deputy Education Minister Dr Clement Apaak explained that the funds would instead be credited toward second-year tuition fees.
This approach, the government claimed would ensure accountability and avoids logistical challenges.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
