Dr. Apaak urges African agencies to embrace digital transformation in student financing

Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has urged African higher education financing agencies to embrace digital transformation in ways that directly improve students’ access to funding.

According to him, technology should not merely be introduced to modernise existing systems but should solve real problems facing students and institutions.

Speaking at the Association of African Higher Education Financing Agencies (AAHEFA) conference, Dr. Apaak said digital transformation could simplify applications, improve student verification, speed up disbursements and strengthen beneficiary monitoring.

“Digital transformation is no longer optional; it is a necessity that can simplify applications, strengthen student verification, speed up disbursement, improve beneficiary monitoring, and give policymakers timely, reliable data for planning.”

He, however, cautioned financing agencies against measuring digital progress simply by the number of services moved online.

“The real test is simpler, is technology improving the lives of students?”

Dr. Apaak said the effectiveness of digital systems should be judged by whether students from low-income households can access financing without travelling long distances or enduring lengthy delays.

He also stressed the need to protect students’ privacy as agencies increasingly use data, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics.

“A student must never become merely a data point. Technology should strengthen the relationship between institution and student, not remove the human judgment at the heart of public service.”

He said African countries must learn from one another and develop shared approaches to digital systems, student verification and data use in higher education financing.