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President John Dramani Mahama characterized the program as a moral obligation more than a charitable gesture during his remarks at the Friday launch of the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disability.
Every student who receives assistance under this strategy contributes to the country. A prospective teacher, engineer, farmer, innovator, or businessperson. Their accomplishments would boost Ghana’s economy and benefit all of humanity, President Mahama declared.
He went on to say that the policy is a calculated investment in Ghana’s most precious asset: its people. Its goal is to give everyone equal access to higher education, including those with disabilities.
“It was a reminder that a nation’s soul is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens,” Mr. Mahama said.
“Today, we gather to mark a new and defining moment in Ghana’s journey towards inclusion and equality.”
Quoting former South African President Nelson Mandela, President Mahama said: “A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens but its lowest ones.”
President Mahama said that according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, there are more than two million Ghanaians living with disabilities. However, behind this statistic, behind this figure, are real human stories, he said.
“Stories of perseverance, of talent waiting to be nurtured and of dreams that deserve to be fulfilled. Too many still face barriers of poverty, of stigma, of lack of access to education and livelihood opportunities,” he added.
He rallied all stakeholders, including corporate Ghana, to make a conscious effort to promote inclusion across the board.
“Our collective task, therefore, is to ensure that no Ghanaian is denied the chance to learn, to work and to serve because of disability. Ghana has not been idle in this effort.”
President Mahama noted that in 2015, his government introduced the Inclusive Education Policy, which opened mainstream schools to learners with disabilities and began transforming the country’s educational culture.
“Today, we are advancing that vision one bold step further. The Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities Initiative fulfils a pledge I made to the people of Ghana to make higher education accessible to all, regardless of financial condition or circumstances,” the President said.
The President clarified that the revised Student Loan Trust Fund, which has been modernized and digitalized to guarantee transparency, efficiency, and sustainability, will spearhead the implementation.
He also revealed that a modest scholarship for people with impairments had previously been offered by the Scholarship Secretariat. The scholarship package will be incorporated into the new universal disability scholarship under the Student Loan Trust Fund with the introduction of the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities.
According to President Mahama’s direction, GETFUND would provide GHS 50 million annually to support the Student Loan Trust Fund and the no-fees-stress policy, said Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu (MP).
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com/Presidency
