Students asked to prepare financially before they go to abroad

Kumasi, Feb.16, GNA - Ghanaian students eager to travel to Europe to further their education have been advised to make sure that they have adequate financial resources to cater for their tuition and maintenance. The Reverend Kingsley Appiagyei, Senior Pastor of the Trinity Baptist Church, London, described as worrying the abject poverty and inhuman conditions some Ghanaians currently pursuing higher education in Britain and other European countries live in.

He was delivering the maiden public lecture on the topic: "The church in Ghana and university education: curtailing Ghanaian students' adventurism in Britain and Europe in general", Organized by the Ghana Baptist University College in Kumasi, on Monday. Rev. Appiagyei, who is also the President of Baptist Union of Great Britain, said even though, "British education is unparalleled in terms of quality, it is very expensive."

He said since foreign students were allowed to work for only 20 hours a week, most of them found it difficult to pay for their tuition and maintenance.

Rev. Appiagyei said that many of them approached charity organizations for help while others had been arrested and repatriated. He said that some university authorities in Europe travelled to the country to entice students with excellent academic conditions on their campuses but failed to tell the real financial challenges and constraints that they might face.

Rev. Appiagyei asked students to take advantage of the proliferation of universities in the country to access tertiary education. He commended the churches for establishing tertiary institutions to promote education moral values.

Rev. Appiagyei appealed to government to support private universities financially to expand infrastructure and increase enrolment. Rev. Dr. Steve Asante, President of the Ghana Baptist Convention and Chancellor of GBUC, called on students to get the necessary information and financial resources before they travel outside for further studies.