The Executive Council of the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG), University of Cape Coast Chapter and the GRASAG leadership of University of Education, Winneba, Takoradi Technical University and the University of Mines and Technology are demanding the immediate payment of all their Research Grants due to Graduate students.
In a joint press conference held at the University of Cape Coast, the leadership of these Tertiary institutions disclosed their displeasure and dissatisfaction with the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat for the neglect of and silence on the non-disbursement of national bursaries due graduate students.
Speaking at the press conference, the GRASAG president of UCC, Mr. Kwabena Adjepong said bursaries given to all postgraduate students in various public universities to aid their research work during a set period have been in arrears since the 2019/2020 academic year.
The situation he said has caused a simmering hostility and feud between the GRASAG leadership of these institutions and their members.
He therefore said “the post graduates students of Ghana, are ready to go to every extent to let these bursaries come to our students.”
On his part, the GRASAG president of the University of Education, Winneba, James Marfo Owusu added that as leadership of GRASAG for these institutions, their concern is the urgent need to resolve the issue of delayed outstanding and full payment, and the subsequent opening of the portal to register other members to receive their bursaries.
He pledged that the association is ever ready to pursue all legitimate methods possible to ensure that the concerns are addressed.
Some postgraduate students also spoke to ATLFMNEWS about challenges they are encountering in the absence of the research grant.
Gideon Quansah reading PhD Accounting Education who says the lack of funds makes it difficult for him like many others to have their works printed out as mandated due to the high cost of printing.
Florence Agyeiwaa Gyasi, a 2nd Year student from the University of Education, Winneba also bemoaned how their work is impeded with the lack of funds adding that “government should heed to their plea to ease their efforts and work in their post graduate education.
Read also: NSS Executive Director urges President to Make the Authority Autonomous
Source: Eric Sekyi/ATLFMNEWS