How a youth movement contributed to the introduction of scholarships for disadvantaged students in Ghana

By Joshua Opey, Chairperson of the Commonwealth Youth Association, and Youth Advisory on the GEM Report Advisory Board

Marking International Youth Day, this blog supports the #YourStoryCounts campaign accompanying the 2026 GEM Report. The campaign aims to show the various journeys that countries have taken in improving access to education. Continuing on the messages from the 2026 Youth Report: Lead with youth, this story speaks of the ways that youth are supporting governments in finding context-relevant policies to break down exclusion.

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) was established in 1962 to represent the interests of students across Ghana. Today, it brings together different student constituencies including university students, teacher trainees, nursing and midwifery students, professional students, and graduate students under one national platform. Throughout its history, the union has shown both the potential and the challenges of student representation.

“NUGS’ experience has taught us that student advocacy is most effective when it is independent.”

In our early years, we maintained a constructive relationship with the government while remaining accountable to students. This allowed us to advocate objectively on issues affecting education.

One of our most significant achievements came through the Mmobrowa movement, which opposed the introduction of academic and residential facility user fees. The campaign contributed to the creation of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), which continues to finance public education infrastructure and provide scholarships to disadvantaged students. Today, NUGS continues to represent students on the GETFund Board.

Over time, however, independence was challenged. From the mid-2000s onwards, political influence increasingly affected the union’s internal elections and governance. As student representation became more closely aligned with political parties, divisions emerged and our ability to advocate consistently for students weakened. This experience demonstrated how easily student organisations can lose credibility when they are perceived as advancing political interests rather than the interests of students.

In recent years, we have worked to restore the union’s independence and strengthen its role as a representative body that advocates for students without fear or favour. This has enabled us to rebuild constructive relationships with government while maintaining our focus on student priorities. We have contributed to national policy discussions, joined coalitions advocating for increased public investment in education, and participated in the development of new education policies.

Today, student representatives from NUGS sit on a range of national bodies. We are represented on the National Scholarship Secretariat and on District Scholarship Selection Committees across the country, helping to make scholarship allocation more transparent and responsive. We also continue to engage with national youth institutions and other public bodies to ensure that students’ perspectives are reflected in decisions that affect them.

Our experience shows that meaningful student participation depends not only on having a seat at the table but also on preserving the independence and legitimacy of student organisations. Constructive partnerships with governments are essential, but student unions are most effective when they remain accountable first and foremost to the students they represent.

What is your story about education access in your country? Have you contributed to education policy reform to help more children and youth access education and opportunities to learn? Please share your story online tagging #YourStoryCounts.

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