The Koforidua Technical University (KTU) through individuals and corporate bodies allocates GH¢200,000 annually to its Financial Aid Board (FAB) to provide financial assistance to brilliant but needy students and other qualified students, the Vice Chancellor (VC) of KTU, Professor David Kofi Essumang has said.
He said the University made such allocation to the Aid in the form of partial and full scholarships for 200 students each year, to reduce or eliminate financial barriers that might limit students’ access to education in the university.
“Through the FAB instituted in 2008 at the Counselling Unit, financial assistance is provided to brilliant but needy students and other qualifies needy students, who, without such assistance, may not be able to meet their educational expenses,” he said.
Professor Essumang disclosed this during a matriculation ceremony over the weekend to welcome its fresh students for the 2022/2023 academic students.
Out of 5,295 applicants, the University was able to offer admission to 5,143 students to pursue courses in degree and Higher National Diploma (HND) in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) as well as business programmes.
Out of the 5,143 students admitted, 3,729 had registered and were matriculated at the premises of the University, where they took their matriculation oath to enable them to be admitted into the University.
The VC further explained that the aid was to complement the financial assistance given to students at the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF), adding that the University had also made provision for students to pay 60 per cent of their fees by the beginning of the first semester, and the remaining balance prior to the beginning of the second semester.
“All these are geared towards making help for financial payments readily available and accessible so that no students would drop out from school,” he said and stated that the human resource for the country’s development was necessary, hence the need to help the students to go through their academics without obstacles.
He thanked the donors for their continuous support to the fund and encouraged other corporate bodies and individuals to assist the University to fund the education of students who would otherwise have to interrupt or terminate their studies, and called on students facing financing challenges to apply for consideration for the various support schemes when advertised.
He noted that the University was poised to provide access to university education to as many qualified applicants, but was unable to do so due to inadequate academic and residential facilities for staff and students.
He added that the University was making giant strides in infrastructural development to enable it admit more students.
The VC indicated that globalisation was about building partnership in this knowledge age and generation, hence the university had continued to establish partnership with both foreign and local institutions and other bodies to provide platform for students and staff to share ideas as well as practical training grounds for students for mutual benefits for industry and university.
“Some of our collaborators include Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, GRIDCo, and GHACEM among many others and the University continues to focus on her pursuit of excellence in teaching, research and service to society,” he stated.
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA
