Former President John Dramani Mahama has tasked various student unions in the country like the Students' Representative Council (SRC) to voice out in other to have its deteriorating Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) operate assiduously as expected.

According to the 2024 NDC flagbearer, the GETFund currently lies anaemic due to government's tapping of funds and the collateralization through the use of the 'Dakye Bonds' which directly affect students with many school projects halted as the fund is out of resources to carry out these projects over the reckless attitude of the ruling government's administration.

He made this statement at the grand durbar of the University of Cape Coast's 60th SRC Week celebration on Friday, July 21, 2023.

The GETFund established in the year 2000 under late President Jerry John Rawlings government with Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah as then Minister of Education is a public sector agency with a primary objective to deliver quality education to the citizens of Ghana from the basic to tertiary level through dynamic funding policies aimed at ensuring equitable provision of essential resources to all segments of the Ghanaian population.

He highlighted that though members of the SRC may appear young today but will soon migrate to become the backbone of Ghana's socioeconomic development by taking the place of current professionals who will soon be retiring as lecturers, solicitors, medical practitioners, engineers, security personnels among others.

The Former President entreated executives and members of student unions within the country to individually and collectively operate to the interest of the wider student population by supporting their school towards creating an enabling learning environment for students as it is crucial to place the welfare of students above all its priorities.

He recounted to bear notice that the voice of the SRC through its umbrella unions must be heard on national policy issues through conferences, seminars, press release, and public manifestations. Most of which have direct impact on student's welfare as it is through constructive student engagements in the 1990's which had the GETFund instituted to support tertiary education.

Source:Sompaonline.com/Eric Annan