Accra, March 17, – The Parliamentary Minority Caucus has called on the government to promptly settle outstanding tuition fees for Ghanaian students at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, under the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat.
The appeal follows a petition from students who claim that fees for the 2024, 2025, and part of 2026 academic years remain unpaid. The university has withheld transcripts and certificates, leaving the students unable to access key academic records.
Hajia Fatahiya Abdul Aziz, Deputy Ranking Member on Gender and MP for Savulugu, described the situation as deeply concerning, stressing that the students travelled abroad under government sponsorship.
“These students went overseas with the promise that their tuition would be covered by the Republic of Ghana. That commitment is not a favour—it is an obligation. Yet, they now face uncertainty and humiliation,” she said.
The petition also noted that the students’ UK visas expired on January 30, 2026, and their attempts to secure post-study work visas were denied due to unpaid fees, putting them at risk of deportation despite completing their programs.
Many students have exhausted personal savings, with some relying on food banks to meet daily needs, while others have offered to forfeit stipends to cover tuition, yet months have passed without resolution.
The Minority urged the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs to engage the university through diplomatic channels to secure temporary relief, and called for a thorough review of the Scholarship Secretariat to address structural and managerial weaknesses.
“Protecting the dignity of Ghanaian students abroad and the credibility of our scholarship programmes must be a priority. The State’s word must be a guarantee,” Hajia Abdul Aziz added.
GHBUSS
17 March 2026
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