As part of President John Dramani Mahama’s expanded vision to ensure that Ghanaian students studying abroad under the Scholarship Secretariat (SCHOLSEC) do not face disruptions due to delays in funding, the Registrar of the Secretariat, Alexander Asafo Agyei, has undertaken a working visit to the Republic of Serbia.

The visit was aimed at assessing the welfare of Ghanaian students, familiarising the Secretariat with their current academic and living conditions, and identifying ways to improve service delivery to ensure their studies proceed smoothly.

The delegation was received by Ghana’s Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Kwesi Ahwoi, who provided a situational briefing on the status of Ghanaian students in the country.

Ambassador Ahwoi highlighted the positive impact of the recent clearance of arrears owed to students and the timely release of funds, noting that these measures have strengthened relations between the Ghanaian Mission and the students while contributing significantly to their academic success.

The Registrar described the engagement with the Ambassador as fruitful and expressed appreciation for the warm reception and frank discussions.

The Secretariat assured the Mission of its commitment to resolving outstanding challenges promptly in line with the resetting agenda of President Mahama.

Ghanaian students in Serbia, led by Mohammed Mutala Suraj, a PhD candidate at the University of Belgrade, expressed deep gratitude to President Mahama and the Scholarship Secretariat for addressing their long-standing concerns.

They noted that the complete clearance of tuition and stipend arrears had restored hope and stability to their academic lives.

In an emotional response, the students described the visit as historic and one of the happiest moments of their stay abroad. They appealed for an increase in stipends and continued support to ensure the timely disbursement of funds.

The students also reaffirmed their confidence in the government’s handling of scholarship programmes and pledged to uphold high academic and moral standards that reflect positively on Ghana.

The Scholarship Secretariat has reiterated its commitment to prioritising the welfare and success of Ghanaian students abroad, assuring them that the era of neglect and uncertainty is over.

According to the Secretariat, ongoing reforms under President Mahama’s leadership are on course to strengthen support systems for Ghanaian students and enhance their contributions to national development upon their return home.