He said the schemes are open to all Ghanaian students, including those in private universities, and urged authorities of such institu­tions to intensify education and awareness among their students, especially the brilliant but needy, to enable them access the support.

Mr Nortsu-Kotoe made the clarification on Wednesday, when members of the committee em­barked on a working visit to some selected private universities in the Greater Accra Region, to better understand their operations and identify their challenges.

The institutions visited, includ­ed the Accra College of Medicine, Wisconsin International Univer­sity College, Ghana (WIUC-GH), and the Regent University College of Science and Technology.

The committee’s visit formed part of its broader oversight re­sponsibility to engage with stake­holders and recommend policies that enhance quality education delivery across the country.

Mr Nortsu-Kotoe disclosed that the GETFund portal was expect­ed to be opened in December this year, and called on administrators of private universities to guide students in preparing and submit­ting their applications before the deadline.

“The government appreciates the role of private universities in tertiary education. For each stu­dent admitted into a private uni­versity, government saves about GH¢50,000. So we encourage private institutions to ensure their students are aware of funding opportunities,” he said.

At the WIUC-GH, the Chancel­lor, Dr Paul Kofi Fynn, empha­sised the university’s commitment to hands-on training to prepare students adequately for the job market.

“Before a student leaves here, they are already fit for the job, even without internship because we do a lot of practicals,” he said.

The Chancellor commend­ed public universities such as the University of Cape Coast, University of Ghana, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, with whom Wis­consin is affiliated, for supporting their development.

He lamented the high taxes paid on teaching equipment such as mannequins for anatomy, and called for tax reliefs on education­al materials.

“Private universities should not be looked down on. We need more professors and improved in­frastructure. Let us put measures in place to raise standards, not lower them,” Dr Fynn advised.

President of the WIUC-GH, Dr Lawrence Tetteh Kannae, called for extension of research grants to private universities, to enhance academic work.

He also advocated an amend­ment of the GETFund Act, to explicitly include private institu­tions.

“A university without a strong research background cannot be considered the best. Research adds new knowledge and makes teaching more relevant to society. We also contribute to the pro­duction of human resources, so we deserve support,” Dr Kannae said.

He said the WIUC-GH has awarded several scholarships to brilliant but needy students and continues to support govern­ment’s educational goals.