The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has called on the government to urgently address the concerns of Ghanaian students on government scholarships abroad.
This follows a protest by scholarship beneficiaries in Morocco over the delay in the release of their stipends spanning over 10 months.
According to them, the situation has among other things exacerbated existing hardships including the inability to afford food and sanitary products.
NUGS President, Kyeremeh Oppong Daniel, speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, May 29, expressed the union’s commitment to pursuing the issue.
He highlighted the difficulties faced by students not only in Morocco but also in the UK, India, and those relying on the Students Loan Trust Fund.
“We are very perturbed by the current happenings but we are pretty much sure this listening government is going to take a quick step toward solving this particular challenge. Our students are suffering in Morocco, our students are suffering in the UK, our students are suffering in India, and most of the students on the Students Loan Trust Fund are also suffering. We need funds to facilitate education. Free senior high school is churning out a lot of numbers who are in our tertiary institutions.”
Mr Kyeremeh emphasised the need for adequate funding to support education, particularly with the increasing number of students entering tertiary institutions due to the free senior high school policy.
The NUGS urged relevant authorities to ensure prompt action is taken to address the concerns of affected students and prevent further hardship.
“The only way to keep them going, for them to also get knowledge to develop our country is to get them proper funding to keep them going.
“The Students Loan Trust Fund is one key area that should be looked at. We are calling on the government and all agencies to come and rescue students in the country.
