Eduwatch petitions Chief of Staff to forestall GH¢600m overseas scholarship haemorrhage

Introduction

Education advocacy group Africa Education Watch, popularly known as Eduwatch, has formally petitioned the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, to intervene in a growing financial crisis concerning Ghana’s overseas scholarship scheme. The non-governmental organization is calling for an immediate freeze on what it describes as “unsustainable” liabilities accumulating in foreign currencies. This intervention comes at a critical juncture when Ghana is navigating an IMF-stabilized economic program, making foreign currency expenditures a matter of national priority.

Kofi Asare, the Executive Director of Eduwatch, sounded the alarm regarding a mounting debt exceeding GH¢600 million owed to universities in the United Kingdom and the United States. This financial hemorrhage is not merely a line item in a budget; it has real-world consequences for Ghanaian students currently abroad. Reports indicate that scores of Ghanaian PhD and Master’s scholars are facing homelessness and deportation due to the government’s inability to service these debts. As UK institutions shift from “letters of comfort” to active debt collection, the urgency of the Eduwatch petition cannot be overstated.

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the Ghana scholarship crisis, exploring the financial implications, the legal arguments presented by Eduwatch, and the human cost of the current policy. We will examine why the advocacy group is pushing for a “Recall and Transition” strategy and what this means for the future of higher education funding in Ghana.

Key Points

Background

To understand the current crisis, one must look at the legislative landscape and the history of scholarship disbursement in Ghana. In 2025, the government enacted the Scholarships Law, a piece of legislation designed to regulate and, in many cases, halt new overseas awards. The intent was to curb the drain on foreign exchange reserves and promote local tertiary education.

However, a significant loophole remains. While new applications may be restricted, “legacy commitments”—scholarships awarded in previous years—continue to require funding. These commitments are often multi-year obligations for Master’s and PhD programs. As Mr. Asare pointed out on January 24, 2026, these legacy awards are “proceeding to bleed the national coffers.”

The IMF Context

The backdrop to this petition is Ghana’s economic recovery program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). An IMF-stabilized economy requires strict fiscal discipline, including the conservation of foreign currency reserves. Spending scarce dollars on degrees that can be obtained locally is viewed by economists and policy analysts as inefficient. The phrase “No more dollar scholarships in an IMF economy” encapsulates the economic rationale behind Eduwatch’s stance.

The Human Cost

While the macroeconomic argument is strong, the micro-level impact is devastating. The Ghana Scholarship Secretariat has faced criticism for failing to disburse stipends on time. Students in the UK, who were promised a monthly stipend of between £1,023 and £1,200, report going unpaid for over a year. This has led to the suspension of a planned protest by Ghanaian PhD cohorts in the UK after a truce with High Commissioner Sabah Zita Benson, though the underlying financial insecurity remains.

Analysis

The core of Eduwatch’s argument rests on two pillars: economic prudence and educational redundancy. The petition highlights a “staggering disparity” in academic costs that suggests a lack of due diligence in the scholarship award process.

Value for Money in Education

Mr. Asare cited a specific 2019 case where the government spent GH¢600,000 to fund a single Master’s degree in Public Administration in the United States. The critical analysis here is not about the quality of education, but the return on investment. The same degree is “readily available in Ghana for a fragment of that value.” By prioritizing foreign education for public servants, the state is effectively subsidizing the economies of the UK and US while neglecting the development of local universities.

Eduwatch argues that this practice undermines the 2025 Scholarships Law. If the law was designed to halt overseas awards to protect the treasury, allowing legacy debts to balloon to GH¢600 million defeats the spirit of the legislation. It suggests that despite regulatory changes, the bureaucratic machinery continues to prioritize foreign institutions over domestic capacity building.

Legal Viability of MoUs

A fascinating angle of the petition is the legal threat regarding Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). Eduwatch contends that many of these agreements with overseas universities were signed “without proper financial clearance.” In administrative law, a contract (or MoU) entered into by a government agency without the necessary budgetary authorization or appropriation can be deemed ultra vires (beyond its powers) and potentially void.

If Eduwatch proceeds with litigation and successfully argues that these MoUs are legally void, the government might have grounds to repudiate the debts. However, this is a high-stakes legal maneuver that could damage Ghana’s creditworthiness internationally.

Practical Advice

For students currently on government scholarships or those planning to apply for funding, the current landscape requires caution and strategic planning.

For Current Beneficiaries Abroad

Students currently studying overseas under government sponsorship should take the following steps:

1. Document Communication: Keep a rigorous record of all communications with the Scholarship Secretariat regarding stipend delays. This is crucial if legal action becomes necessary.
2. Financial Contingency: Given the uncertainty of payments, students must explore emergency funding options, including university hardship funds or private support networks.
3. Monitor the “Recall” Proposal: Be aware of the Eduwatch proposal to recall students. While disruptive, integrating into a local university might be a viable alternative to deportation or academic exclusion.

For Prospective Scholarship Applicants

Given the shift in policy advocated by Eduwatch:

• Focus on Local Options: Prioritize applications to local public universities. If the government adopts the “Recall and Transition” model, domestic education will likely receive increased funding.
• Verify MoU Status: If applying for foreign scholarships, verify if the specific program is covered by a valid MoU that has cleared financial hurdles.
• Alternative Funding: Look for fully funded scholarships from foreign governments (bilateral agreements) rather than those funded directly by the Ghanaian treasury, which are currently under scrutiny.

FAQ

Conclusion

The petition by Eduwatch to the Chief of Staff represents a critical moment for Ghana’s higher education policy. It highlights the tension between maintaining international partnerships and ensuring fiscal responsibility during an economic recovery period. The GH¢600 million liability is not just a number; it represents a systemic issue where foreign education is prioritized despite the availability of cheaper, local alternatives.

The proposed “Recall and Transition” strategy offers a pragmatic, albeit disruptive, path forward. By redirecting funds to local universities, the government could simultaneously resolve the immediate debt crisis and boost the capacity of domestic institutions. As the deadline for government action looms, the eyes of the academic community and the international donor community are watching to see if Ghana will prioritize its own educational infrastructure or continue to service foreign debts.