Eduwatch Urges Ghana's Chief of Staff to Freeze GH¢600m Foreign Scholarship Debts

Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) has formally petitioned Chief of Staff Julius Debrah to freeze what it describes as "unsustainable" foreign scholarship debts exceeding GH¢600 million owed to universities in the UK and US. This financial burden has left numerous Ghanaian PhD and Master’s students at risk of homelessness and deportation due to unpaid stipends, with institutions reportedly moving towards active debt collection.

Kofi Asare, the Executive Director of Eduwatch, highlighted the pressing need for a "Recall and Transition" strategy, advocating for a shift in funding from foreign scholarships to local educational programs. He emphasized that the costs associated with studying abroad significantly surpass those of local education, suggesting that the government should prioritize domestic educational investments.

Eduwatch has also warned of potential legal action against the government if it fails to terminate non-bilateral scholarship agreements that may have been signed without proper financial clearance. This petition comes in the wake of student unrest over the unpaid stipends, which had previously led to protests, now temporarily halted as students await government action.