The Ghana Scholarship Secretariat has announced a potential relief for Ghanaian students studying abroad, with the anticipated release of GH¢50 million.
This development comes in response to reports of hardships faced by the students due to unpaid stipends and tuition fees.
Richard Gyamfi, Head of International Relations and Partnerships at the Secretariat, revealed that, the Ministry has indicated the release of some funds, although the amount will not fully cover the total needed.
“The good news is that we got hinted by the Ministry [of Finance] that some funds, although not what we are expecting, have been released,” Gyamfi stated.
He added that, the Secretariat had worked on all the necessary paperwork to ensure the funds are transferred to the Ghana International Bank, which will then facilitate payments through the Ghanaian Embassy.
Gyamfi emphasised that the Secretariat has been proactive in addressing the issue, holding numerous meetings with international partners and taking unconventional steps to secure the funds.
“We have actually had to go a non-conventional route by giving them letters that the registrar has written to high authorities pleading with the Ministry of Finance to release funds so that we can pay,” he explained.
Despite the GH¢50 million being insufficient to cover all outstanding tuition and stipends, the Secretariat plans to prioritise tuition payments to prevent students from being expelled from their programmes.
“We are going to prioritise the tuition because we don’t want students to be kicked out of their courses,” Gyamfi stated.
