Govt rescues distressed Ghanaian students in India
The government, through the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat, has gone to the rescue of some distressed students pursuing various courses in India who had applied to study there on their own without state support.
The timely intervention will allow the students, who are faced with numerous challenges including the inability to pay their tuition fees, accommodation and feeding, to apply for Government of Ghana scholarships through the Scholarships Secretariat.
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This was revealed when the Registrar of the Scholarship Secretariat, Mr Kingsley Agyemang, paid a working visit to India to interact with the Ghanaian students there and find out how best the government could address their challenges.
Timely intervention
Addressing the students in India, Mr Agyemang assured them that President Akufo-Addo, after hearing their distress calls, delegated him to come to India to ensure that their challenges were addressed.
To this end, he informed the students that government would allow them to apply for state sponsorship for their education through the Scholarship Secretariat.
He was, however, quick to add that the students would have to meet some criteria before qualifying for the scholarship.
He mentioned the first as ‘scholar,’ which enjoins the students to excel in their various fields of endeavour.
“And secondly, there has to be very strong demonstration of need and the third is whether or not the course you are pursuing is in line with government priority areas,” the registrar said.
Mode of application
Mr Agyemang asked the students to apply for scholarships through the mission in India after which recommendations would be made to the Scholarship Secretariat in Accra.
He further explained that the scholarship covered tuition and cost of living and that the secretariat, being aware of the various extra challenges that accompanied the tuition, would ensure that there was enough spending money to make up for the students’ ‘errands’.
Opportunities abound home
Mr Agyemang cautioned the students to be extra careful when embarking on journeys to other countries without making preparation for adequate financial assistance.
“If you do that, it means that you are taking a risk that is too deep and can cost you a lifetime.
I know that the probability that you will fail should not deter you from pursuing a cause of action you assume to be just.
That notwithstanding, it is important that you take up calculated risks and not just embark on a journey because of the huge opportunities involved,” he cautioned the students.
He told the students that equally good opportunities abound in Ghana, adding that the President in his quest to ensure that the local tertiary level was effective, “has even given marching instructions that it should be decentralised to the districts.”
He said the District Scholarship Review Committee set up across all the districts would receive applications, publish scholarships information, conduct interviews and make recommendations to the Scholarship Secretariat in Accra.
Word of caution
He advised the students to be disciplined and always strive to lift high up the flag of Ghana.
He also asked the students to network with their course mates as internationalisation was now the way to go.
