The Ghana Scholarship Secretariat has announced a significant development for Ghanaian students studying abroad, with GH¢50 million expected to be released to alleviate financial difficulties faced by these students due to unpaid stipends and tuition fees.
Richard Gyamfi, Head of International Relations and Partnerships at the Secretariat, revealed that while the Ministry of Finance has indicated the release of funds, the amount is still less than what is needed to fully address the outstanding payments.
“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.
The Secretariat has completed all necessary paperwork to ensure that the funds are transferred to the Ghana International Bank, which will coordinate payments through the Ghanaian Embassy.
Gyamfi also mentioned that the Secretariat has taken proactive and unconventional steps to secure these funds, including obtaining letters from registrars pleading with high authorities in the Ministry of Finance.
Although the GH¢50 million is insufficient to cover all the overdue tuition and stipends, the Secretariat plans to prioritize tuition payments to prevent students from being expelled from their academic programs.
“We are going to prioritize the tuition because we don’t want students to be kicked out of their courses,” Gyamfi explained.