The Minority members of the Education Committee in Parliament have revealed that the government owes over £17 million in tuition fees for 927 Ghanaian students studying in the United Kingdom. These unpaid fees, which have accumulated over 27 months, have put many students in difficult and embarrassing situations.
Due to the government’s failure to meet its financial obligations, several universities in the UK have withdrawn their support and canceled agreements with the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat. Dr. Clement Apaak, Deputy Ranking Member of the Education Committee, expressed concern over the issue and called for immediate action to prevent further embarrassment for the nation.
“According to the students, the government owes their fees in excess of £17 million. This has not been paid. Consequently, a number of them have been withdrawn by their schools,” Dr. Apaak told Citi News. He added, “Some are not being allowed to take classes in person. Some are being processed for deportation and others are under threat of being arrested and prosecuted.”
The situation has become so dire that many students have been forced into extreme measures just to survive. Dr. Apaak shared troubling reports, stating, “Some students are engaging in very despicable and humiliating activities just to survive. We have information to the effect that some of the male students have had to resort to selling their sperm. Some of the female students are engaged in prostitution.”
Dr. Apaak urged the Nana Akufo-Addo government to act swiftly to resolve the issue and prevent further harm to the students, who are facing serious consequences due to the unpaid fees.