The Ghana Educational Trust Fund (GETFund) has assured Ghanaians it has improved its scholarship processes following a recent uproar about opaque scholarship processes.

Over the weekend, online anti-government protests brought the GETFund into the limelight following the recirculation of a special audit list from 2018 which contained the names of politicians, political appointees, media personnel and other deemed-privileged people as recipients of scholarships from the Fund.

Some Ghanaians commenting on the list had shared their own experiences of being denied scholarships as a result of the opaque processes and nepotism at the Scholarship secretariat.

No. 76 on the list is the daughter of the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta’s daughter. She is Nana Obrempomgmaa Ofori-Atta. They got GETFUND to fund her undergraduate education at Georgetown University at a whopping USD52,600.00 which was the highest government funding on the… https://t.co/wMrLeb1ZFT

— Ghana Mu Nsemsem (@ghanamunsemsem_) September 23, 2023

People don’t know this guy is NDC. His dad was head of Gridco during JM’s reign. Asiedu Nketia’s son enjoyed Getfund scholarship under this same gov’t. Politicians are just rubbing each other’s back whiles we suffer and even protest for them. God did ampa! https://t.co/mMRRkxg5jb

— Kay (@Kwesi_Agyei_) September 25, 2023

In 2019 I applied for Getfund scholarship, even tho people told me it’s a waste of time lol.
Passed aptitude test, I was NEVER called for interview! Someone told me he knew someone in there who could help me get with a TIP! How much? 60,000 ghana cedis tip!!!#OccupyJulorbiHouse https://t.co/2J8zF081O0

— E✨ (@moda_says) September 22, 2023

Responding to these concerns, GETFund said that the special audit list was part of processes to “uncover the trends of scholarship awards from 2012 to 2018 and ensure efficiency and increase transparency in the administration of scholarships.”

According to the Fund, following the forensic audit carried out by the Auditor General’s Department and paid for by the Fund, recommendations were made towards streamlining the awards of scholarships, which have since been implemented by the Board.

“Management has also introduced many reforms that have since transformed the face of scholarships at the GETFund. For instance, management has implemented an end-to-end online process in the awards and the management of scholarships. This has led to an enhanced, transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration of scholarships,” the GETFund stated.

Reacting to the backlash it has suffered following the recirculation of the 2018 list, GETFund said it is utterly surprised “that these very listed scholars captured in the Audit Report have resurfaced on social media generating a discourse and making it look like a new matter that requires immediate attention.”

“As part of the policies by the Fund to deepen stakeholder engagement, the month of November, in each year, has been earmarked for an open forum with all stakeholders.

"The forum offers an opportunity for the public to ask questions and for the Management to explain procedures and systems introduced to ensure prudent utilisation of the taxpayers’ funds,” it added.