The leadership of the Ghana Union of Professional Students (GUPS), under the direction of its President, Samuel Nana Yaw Smith Dadzie, held a crucial meeting with the CEO of the Student Loan Trust Fund, Nuhu Bayorbo Mahama.

The meeting took place at the Trust Fund's office in Asylum Down, where pressing issues regarding the accessibility of student loans for members of GUPS were brought to the forefront.

The GUPS leadership, committed to their mission of advocating for the welfare of students across member institutions, expressed concerns about the financial struggles faced by professional students.

Smith highlighted the challenges of paying school fees, noting that even a shortfall as small as five hundred Ghana cedis (GH¢ 500) can prevent students from taking their mid-semester exams, ultimately affecting their academic performance.

Smith further emphasized the gravity of the situation, explaining that students who are unable to pay their fees are often barred from writing their end-of-semester exams.

This according to him, forces them to wait until the following academic year to retake the exams, placing an additional burden on their academic journey.

He also raised concern about the vulnerability of female students, who, in desperate circumstances, may resort to unwholesome means to meet their financial obligations, making them susceptible to exploitation by some lecturers.

"Sometimes, our female students suffer the most, as some tend to resort to unwholesome means to meet this end. This sometimes causes some lecturers to take advantage of the situation and exploit the ladies," he said.

During the meeting, the GUPS leadership articulated these challenges to the CEO and other key officials of the Student Loan Trust Fund, including the Public Relations Officer, Adam Abdul Majid, and the Director for loan disbursement.

The Union also highlighted the lack of awareness among students regarding the existence of the student loan, stressing the need for increased outreach and education.

In response, CEO Nuhu Bayorbo Mahama assured the GUPS executives that the Student Loan Trust Fund is committed to supporting all Ghanaian students, provided their institutions and programs are accredited by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).

He explained that the Trust Fund’s ability to approve loans hinges on the accreditation status of the institutions and programs, noting that some educational institutions operate without proper accreditation, which complicates the loan approval process.

Mahama also addressed issues related to application errors, such as students using incorrect Ezwich account details, which can lead to the cancellation of loan applications.

He reassured the GUPS executives that the Trust Fund is eager to collaborate with the Union to ensure that students in member institutions are not left behind.

Additionally, he revealed ongoing efforts to increase the loan amounts available to students, particularly those in non-public institutions and professional programs.

AM/Ek

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