The executive director of African Education Watch, Mr. Kofi Asare has called on government to increase the funds of students loan trust fund in order to reduce the barrier the prevent many students from completing their programs in tertiary institutions in Ghana.
Speaking at the Education Forum that was organized by Citi tv/Fm the executive director of African Education Watch believe that increasing budgetary allocation of students loan trust fund will help to break the financial barriers that students face in school, which will increase access and also boost inclusion of education in the country.
“We recommend that GOG must increase the allocation of the GETFund that goes into the Student Loan Trust Fund (SLTF). The GETFund law says that up to 10 percent must be allocated to the SLTF. We believe that if the minimum threshold is set in the law, it will ensure that there is enough for the loan fund, bearing in my mind that government is about to introduce a guarantor-free system, which means that we need more money.” Mr. Kofi said.
He also talked about the fact that the delay in disbursement of the fund that is meant for students at times causes many of the students to drop out or lose their admission, and there is a need to ensure early disbursement of fund to Students.
Explaining further the executive director, made it clear that although the government is thinking about increase tertiary enrollment from 18 percent to 40 percent by 2030, which he thinks is a good initiative, but the delay in the disbursement of the student’s loan trust fund to Students defeat its the purpose and for that matter there the to increase the budgetary allocation of students loan trust fund.