The U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, has reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting Ghanaian students in pursuing educational opportunities abroad by addressing challenges related to visa processing delays.
In collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Education, the U.S. Embassy has launched the Education USA College Fair.
The initiative helps students identify the right schools as well as explore scholarship and funding opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate programmes.
According to the Ambassador, the Education USA advisors play a crucial role in helping students identify schools and secure funding.
She mentioned that Ghanaian students have obtained $9 million in scholarships over the past year, sourced from universities and private foundations.
Ghana currently ranks second in sub-Saharan Africa for the number of students studying in the United States, and 14th globally for graduate students. However, the speaker noted that more students could benefit from these opportunities if not for challenges like visa processing delays.
Addressing concerns about the backlog in visa appointments, Virginia Palmer reassured attendees that efforts are underway to resolve the issue.
“We have increased the staff at the embassy doing visa work by more than 50%, and our deputy secretary has committed to adding more personnel to help clear the backlog. We want Ghanaian students, especially, to come to the U.S. We are working hard to address the backlog, and I want to demystify the process for students—it’s not something they should fear.”
The Education
USA Fair, which saw an increase from 45 participating universities last year to 60 this year, showcases the growing reputation of Ghana and Africa as a key market for U.S. higher education.
The minister of Education, Yaw Osei Adutwum encouraged students to actively seek out scholarships and apply to as many opportunities as possible to alleviate the financial burden, even for families that can afford the education costs.
“America is one of the greatest nations to pursue higher education. They will challenge you and turn you into critical thinkers. I hope that students return to Ghana after their education to contribute toward the transformation of the country,” he added, urging students to use their experience in the U.S. to make a positive impact in Ghana by returning home.
The fair, which was launched on September 13, saw the attendance of various senior high school students from Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School, Aburi Girls Senior High and Ghana International School, among others.
The universities present for the fair included Spelman College, California State University, Virginia Commonwealth University and others.
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