Government Must Urgently Intervene to Save Stranded Scholarship Students – Minority
The Minority Members on Parliament’s Select Committee on Education have expressed deep concern over distressing reports of Ghanaian government-sponsored students abroad facing eviction, deregistration, and possible deportation due to unpaid scholarship commitments.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament, committee member Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah attributed the crisis to the government’s failure to fulfil its financial obligations through the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat.
Established in January 1960 under the Office of the President, the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat was envisioned as more than just an administrative agency. It was designed as a strategic tool to promote social mobility, national equity, and human capital development by providing educational opportunities to financially disadvantaged Ghanaians, especially in fields critical to national development.
Dr. Asamoah recalled that when the NPP government assumed office in 2017, it inherited an outstanding debt of approximately $57.5 million in scholarship arrears.
Despite this, the government took proactive steps to clear the debt and ensure uninterrupted academic progress for Ghanaian students overseas.
“Today, however, we are witnessing a devastating reversal,” Dr. Asamoah stated. “Over 180 Ghanaian students in Memphis, Tennessee, are on the verge of losing their university accommodation, being deregistered for the fall 2025 semester, and potentially stripped of their student visa status. Some have been forced to cover their own rent, while others in the UK and Eastern Europe are skipping meals and struggling to meet basic needs, all while trying to maintain academic focus under immense stress.”
He called on the government, particularly the Office of the President, the Ministry of Education, and the Scholarship Secretariat to urgently release funds, re-establish communication with affected institutions, and implement immediate payment plans to restore the students’ status.
“We appeal to His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, under whose office the Secretariat operates, to treat this as a matter of national urgency,” Dr. Asamoah emphasized. “This is not a partisan issue — it concerns our youth, the future of Ghana, and our global reputation.”
He warned that if the situation is not resolved quickly, the country risks losing academic years, damaging its international image, jeopardizing future educational partnerships, and accelerating brain drain.
“These students didn’t sneak into foreign countries. They were selected by the Ghanaian government, formally sponsored, and promised support. To now abandon them is not only a breach of contract, but a betrayal of trust,” he said.
Dr. Asamoah urged civil society, the media, and the public to support the call for swift action, reminding all stakeholders that during even the most difficult periods in the past, no student was ever deported or deregistered due to the government’s failure to honour scholarship obligations.
“As deadlines for housing and academic registration approach, let us rise above partisanship and protect our collective future. Silence, delay, or indifference must not define our response,” he concluded.
Source: Felix Nyaaba/expressnewsghana.com
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