The Executive Secretary of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), Dr Prince Hamid Armah, has disputed media reports he abused the GetFUND scholarship scheme whilst in office.

The statement explained that such reports are inaccurate, noting he applied and was granted the scholarship in 2012 and completed his course, Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics Education in 2015 by which time he was not in office. Dr Armah was at the time of receiving the scholarship, a mathematics teacher at the senior high school level.

“Had any of these media houses attempted the barest due diligence, including but not limited to a check on my publicly available records, they would have noticed that my studies at the Aberdeen University in the United Kingdom predated my entry into public service by at least three years,” the NaCCA boss said in a statement.

Dr Armah’s comments are in reaction to media reports that some government officials and appointees had abused the scholarship privileges which were meant for brilliant but needy students.

He further stated that the award of the scholarship was validated by the awards and grants he won during the period of his study in the United Kingdom, pointing out that he immediately returned to Ghana after his studies to contribute to the national task of expanding access to quality education for all Ghanaian children.

Dr Armah, who was appointed to his current position in June 2019, nearly seven years after he applied for and was first awarded the scholarship, said the reports were motivated by malice and an attempt to dent his image and urged the public to disregard the false reports.

The full statement is published below.

Statement from Dr Prince Armah in reaction to false media reportage about GETFund scholarship

I have noted with disappoinment a news story carried in some sections of the media, notably myjoyonline.com and echoed on social media, which suggests that I abused my position as a government appointee to procure a scholarship from the Ghana Education Trust Fund for studies in the United Kingdom.

First of all, had any of these media houses attempted the barest due diligence, including but not limited to a check on my publicly available records, they would have noticed that my studies at the Aberdeen University in the United Kingdom predated my entry into public service by at least three years.

However, for the avoidance of doubt, let the following be noted.

1. That I am indeed a proud and grateful recipient of a Ghana Education Trust Fund scholarship.
2. That I applied for and won the scholarship in 2012 to study for a doctorate in Mathematics Education at the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom in 2012
3. That not only was this scholarship deserved, it was validated, if that were needed, by several awards and grants awarded by various institutions in the United Kingdom during my period of study
4. That in fulfilment of the promise I made, I immediately returned to Ghana after my studies, despite the opportunity and ability to remain in the UK to take up more lucrative appointments.
5. That I believe that the scholarship scheme we have is best used to support needy students, as I was then, in order to give them a chance to contribute to the task of nation building, as I have done every day since my studies.

In conclusion, I urge the public to disregard this palpably false story that is driven purely by the worst political instincts that we must work to banish from my nation, while we actively work to expand opportunity and bridge the social and economic inequalities in our nation, a task I am fully committed to in my duties at the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

Sgd

Prince Hamid Armah, PhD
Executive Secretary
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment