GETFund Enter MoU to Implement National Student ID Card Programme in Private Schools

The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) and the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS), formally bringing learners in private educational institutions into the National Student ID Card Programme.

The programme, being coordinated by GETFund by directive of the Office of the President, seeks to establish a secure and verifiable identity for students from the Junior High School level through to tertiary education across both public and private institutions.

The Mastercard-enabled Student ID Card is designed to serve not only as a student identification credential but also as a tool for financial inclusion and access to digital services. Each card is linked to a National Student Database, providing a verifiable identity for participating students.

Beyond identification, the card also functions as a payment card, enabling students to make cashless transactions both on and off campus. Through Kampus Discount’s digital Marketplace, a mobile app for student cardholders, students can also access discounts from participating vendors.

The entire programme, including the required infrastructure, is financed by private-sector partners under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, with no financial cost to schools or the Government.

The signing of the MOU with GNAPS and GNACOPS marks an important step in ensuring that the programme is inclusive of Ghana’s private education sector.

Together, the two associations represent a significant segment of private schools across the country and will support the collection of relevant student data, sensitisation of schools and learners, and the phased rollout of the programme.

Speaking at the ceremony, the GETFund Administrator, Mr Paul Adjei, expressed his appreciation to the President for the initiative and highlighted the potential of the Student ID Card to transform how students access identification, financial and digital services.

He noted that the programme brings together private-sector partners and vendors who will offer students discounts when they use the Mastercard-enabled Student ID Card, either through the digital marketplace or directly at participating vendor outlets.

Mr Adjei further emphasised the financial inclusion dimension of the initiative, noting that the embedded chip in the cards will enable students to make secure purchases and access participating services beyond their campuses.

For GNACOPS, the partnership represents an opportunity to support a programme with the potential to improve student identification, access to services and digital financial participation.

The Executive Director of GNACOPS, Obenfo Nana K. Gyetuah, expressed the Association’s utmost commitment to the implementation of the programme and pledged its full support for the pilot phase.

He described the pilot as an important learning platform that would provide lessons for review and inform subsequent scale-up of the programme.

Representing GNAPS, Mr Joseph Mawufesi-Winston commended the Government, through GETFund, for the initiative and pledged the Association’s commitment to supporting its successful implementation.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Mr Kelvin Boateng of AccessPlus Communications Ltd. described the initiative as a technology-driven solution with the potential to significantly expand financial inclusion and enhance the benefits available to students. He reaffirmed the partners’ commitment to delivering a seamless user experience and providing the necessary support for the successful implementation of the programme.

The collaboration between GETFund, GNAPS and GNACOPS is expected to provide a structured framework for engaging private schools and their stakeholders throughout the implementation process. It will also facilitate coordinated data collection, sensitisation and onboarding as the programme progresses.

The National Student ID Card Programme forms part of broader efforts to leverage technology and private-sector partnerships to improve student identification, financial inclusion and access to opportunities within Ghana’s education ecosystem.

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