Funds for the payment of fees of Bayelsa State students on scholarship in universities abroad, have been approved by the state governor, Mr Seriake Dickson, an official of the government said on Saturday.
A statement by the Commissioner for education, Mr Markson Fefegha said that the governor gave approval for £300,000 and $450,000 for payment of tuition fees for Bayelsa students studying in various institutions abroad.
Giving a breakdown of the payment, the commissioner explained that the release of £250,000 was made to offset tuition and other fees of Bayelsa students studying for their PhD degrees in the United Kingdom.
According to him, $150,000 was also approved for Bayelsa students studying at the Lincoln University in the United States, as well as the payment of $40,000 to some Bayelsa students studying in Ghana.
He said Governor Dickson, had earlier approved $42,000 for students in Kursk, Russia a month ago.
The state government also thanked all beneficiaries, their parents and guardians for their understanding and appreciation of the plight of the government during the period of the delay in the payment.
He added that, the present administration was committed to transforming the education sub-sector.
Few days ago, students of the state studying in at King’s College, Ghana, faced likely expulsion, due to the inability of the government to pay their tuition.
The students were having a tough time over the development with the school authorities.
A human rights activist, Mr Aluzu Augustine, had expressed concerns following a letter addressed to the students by the Registrar of the school, Mr Simion Isekpo, threatening to expel the students if Bayelsa State government failed to pay their fees.
The letter read: “Management of the university wishes to inform all students being sponsored by the Bayelsa State Scholarship Board that should your outstanding and current fees not be paid by October 15, 2016 deadline, the university would have no choice but expel you from the university on October 16, 2016.
“Also, affected undergraduate and postgraduate students who have completed their programme would not be allowed to participate in the forthcoming convocation in November 2016.”
Sending A Delegation
The Ghanaian school had, in adherence to the deadline, barred the affected students from participating in school activities, but had yet to issue a circular expelling them.
“We have been told that Governor Seriake Dickson is sending a delegation to our school. But for now, we have been stopped from taking parts in school activities.
“Those of us in hostels have been asked to vacate. We are just hanging around waiting for the governor”, an affected student, who requested not to be named, had claimed.
