Scholarship Secretariat did Ghanaian PhD students in UK ‘dirty’

A serious educational crisis is unfolding in the United Kingdom as several Ghanaian PhD students have begun withdrawing from their doctoral programmes.

The withdrawals are due to the Ghanaian government’s prolonged failure to pay outstanding tuition fees and living stipends through the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat.

In response, the Executive Body of the PhD Cohort UK has held an emergency meeting and resolved to organise sustained demonstrations in major UK cities and at the Ghana High Commission at Belgrave Square in London.

The crisis follows nearly two years of financial neglect, during which many students have accumulated debt, received eviction notices from student housing, and lost access to key university resources.

Despite several petitions sent to the Office of the President at Jubilee House and the Ministry of Finance, payments to UK universities have not been made.

The situation has worsened, with UK universities reportedly issuing final warnings to affected students.

Unlike previous years when letters of comfort from the Scholarship Secretariat were accepted, many UK institutions are now demanding immediate payment or threatening visa termination due to their own financial pressures.

After exhausting all local options, the students petitioned UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The petition appealed to the British government to intervene on humanitarian grounds, stating that the sudden withdrawal of funding has placed many international students in legal and financial uncertainty.

The students requested a suspension of visa cancellations, arguing that the failure lies with a state agreement and not with the students’ academic conduct.

In the latest development, the PhD Cohort UK executive issued a directive on Friday, January 17, calling for a two day nationwide protest.

The leadership has asked all affected students to register for the protest by contacting the president and the welfare officer to build enough pressure to prompt action from Accra.

For many students, withdrawing from their programmes means the end of a lifelong dream. One student, who spoke anonymously, said, “I am in my final year of research. My university has blocked my library access and my portal. If the fees aren’t paid by the end of this month, my Tier 4 visa will be curtailed, and I will be deported with nothing but debt.”…CONTINUE MORE READING>>>