A Ghanaian student studying at the University of Northampton, England, under government scholarship has lamented the severe financial distress due to delayed tuition and stipend payments from sponsors.
The affected student, Ernestina Kyeremaa has called on the government to urgently intervene before their education and well-being are further jeopardised.
Speaking on JoyNews‘ The Law on Sunday, Madam Kyeremaa, one of the affected students, revealed that the scholarship students are suffering with some of their predecessors who completed their studies last year and have had their certificates withheld due to unpaid school fees.
The situation, she says has worsened for current students, as the university has issued a deadline of April 14, warning that if their fees are not settled, they will be evicted and reported to the UK Home Office.
She added that beyond tuition struggles, many students have been forced out of their hostels and private accommodations because they cannot afford rent. In a desperate attempt to survive, some students have resorted to using another person’s work documents to secure jobs since their limited 20-hour work permits are insufficient to cover their expenses.
Madam Kyeremaa narrated how eight of her colleagues took turns using the same work documents, but their employer discovered the deception and reported them. One of them was confronted by HR and forced to confess, pleading for leniency due to extreme hardship.
“The situation is unbearable. We rely on food banks and charity homes for essentials like winter jackets. Some students cannot even afford transport to attend lectures, and others are falling sick due to malnutrition. One of my colleagues was diagnosed with anemia because he could not afford three square meals a day.
“We are suffering here so we are not going far. We are just pleading with the government to come to our aid because a lot is going on. We are going through hell,” she lamented.
She further emphasised that the crisis is affecting both male and female students, with the latter being particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
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