By Sulayman Waan
Gambian students in China and Sweden have confirmed that they did not get the government funds meant for overseas students amid of coronavirus pandemic.
The Gambia government in April announced a D29.1 million support package for Gambian students abroad. The relief package is for government funded and non-government funded Gambian students in full time education abroad.
However, a number of Gambians students in these countries have grumbled that government has failed to work effectively to ensure all Gambian students in abroad get the funds.
Musa Baldeh, Gambian student in Linkoping University in Sweden, said when government announced the relief package for the Gambian students in abroad; the Gambian students in Sweden made efforts to ensure they benefit from the fund.
“We discussed among ourselves here (Sweden) as we don’t have an embassy here. So, after a lot of engagements we were able to get the form needed to be filled for us to be considered,” he said.
Baldeh said he with others (students) have filed a form and submitted it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and after filling the form he and his fellows were expecting that the Gambians students in Sweden will also benefit from the offer.
“But almost two months now, neither I nor other students receive any email or information regarding the COVID-19 support fund. I made efforts to enquire from my colleagues here but all those I talked to mention that they also didn’t receive a butut yet,” he said.
Baldeh emphasized that he did not get a penny yet while asking the purpose of the long waiting for the funds.
Aboulie Jallow, Gambian student in China however said he is not financially challenge in China told this medium that about a month ago the Gambian embassy in China contacted the students concerning the relief package.
He said the Gambian students have filed all the required information by government through the embassy but was quick to add that out of the 198 Gambian students in China only three got the funds which he said was done secretly.
He said among the three students who were giving the fund two of them are employees of the Ministry of Higher Education and they are in full scholarship while the third is a self- sponsored student.
“I know the two students very well. I came with them to China. These people are on salary in The Gambia and they have full scholarship in China,” he disclosed.
He clarified that he is not speaking for political reason but disclosed that some Gambian students are suffering in China and they need the package.
However, he noted that some of these students, especially the self-sponsored students are not getting the foods they were getting when school were ongoing. “We have to contribute money for them so that they survive,” he revealed.
Alieu Sowe, also a Gambian student in Sweden said he has signed the form but never receive a penny yet.
