Parliament has temporarily suspended consideration of the Ghana Scholarships Authority Bill, 2025, to allow for broader stakeholder engagement.
The decision follows a request by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, who cited growing concerns and petitions received from civil society and education sector stakeholders.
Minister Iddrisu is expected to meet with key civil society groups on July 22, 2025, to address the concerns raised and to chart a path forward.
The Citizens’ Coalition, a network of public interest civil society organizations, had earlier called on Parliament to pause the Bill’s passage. They argued that the current draft does not sufficiently address long-standing structural weaknesses in the country’s scholarship regime and risks institutionalizing opacity, nepotism, and political interference.
The Coalition has called for inclusive consultations involving students, tertiary institutions, and development partners to ensure the Bill reflects broad national consensus.
The Ghana Scholarships Authority Bill seeks to establish an independent body to regulate the award of scholarships. It aims to eliminate political favoritism and promote a merit-based, transparent system for scholarship administration.
