S/Leonean Students in Venezuela Facing Hardship Over Delayed Scholarship Stipends
By VOS writer
Sierra Leonean students studying in Venezuela have raised serious concerns over the government’s failure to disburse their scholarship stipends for the 2024–2025 academic year, citing growing financial hardship and uncertainty.
The students told this newspaper that they have completed all required documentation for the processing of their allowances, but the Ministry of Tertiary Education has yet to release the payments.
“We have submitted all documents for the payment of our stipends, but nothing has been communicated to us,” they said, describing the situation as a recurring pattern that threatens both their academic progress and well-being. “Every year, it is the same story when it comes to paying our scholarship stipends.”
They stressed that the cost of living in Venezuela remains extremely high, and the government-funded stipends are crucial for covering basic expenses including food, accommodation, and transportation. The prolonged delay, they said, has left them struggling to survive.
The students further noted that stipends for Sierra Leonean scholars in Hungary and Russia have reportedly already been paid, expressing frustration that they appear to have been left behind.
They are now calling on the government and the Ministry of Tertiary Education to urgently intervene and ensure that their allowances are disbursed without further delay.
