The High Commissioner of Ghana to the United Kingdom, Zita Sabah Benson, has assured the leadership of Ghanaian students on government scholarship in the United Kingdom of a structured payment plan for the settlement of outstanding tuition fees and stipends.
The engagement followed a meeting between the High Commissioner and student representatives after the release of first-quarter funds by the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat on April 16, 2026, aimed at addressing an estimated £32 million outstanding debt.
The debt had previously prompted threats of protest by affected students across various universities in the United Kingdom.
Ambassador Sabah Benson explained to the delegation that the release of funds formed part of the Secretariat’s quarterly disbursement schedule and was not a reaction to the planned protest. She emphasised that government remained committed to a structured and sustainable payment mechanism to prevent future disruptions.
The disbursement ultimately averted the protest scheduled for April 17, 2026, just a day after the release of funds. The planned demonstration had been communicated in a letter dated April 6, 2026, in which students indicated that the protest was intended to draw attention to prolonged delays in the payment of stipends and tuition fees.
Several beneficiaries had earlier reported not receiving stipends for periods ranging between 15 and 40 months, alongside delays in tuition payments. These challenges, according to the students, resulted in financial hardship, with some forced to suspend their studies, while others faced warnings from universities and potential immigration consequences.
The students also raised concerns about the continued award of new scholarships to beneficiaries in countries such as Canada, the United States, Germany, and China, while outstanding obligations to students in the United Kingdom remained unresolved. Additionally, they highlighted delays in the issuance of renewal letters, which are required for continuing students to register for subsequent academic terms. Some students indicated that renewal letters had not been issued for over 15 months.
The High Commissioner further noted that the Ghana Mission in the United Kingdom had initiated engagements with individuals, churches, and Ghanaian organisations to provide interim support for affected students, while ongoing discussions continue with authorities in Accra to ensure a lasting resolution to the situation.
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