By Politico staff writer
Sierra Leonean students in Russia have threatened to embark on a protest today 5 August 2022 at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Moscow over the delay in the payment of their stipends and other allowances including return flight tickets for students who have completed their courses.
The Secretary General of the National Union of Sierra Leonean Students in the Russian Federation, Alhassan Bangura told Politico that they had not received their allowances since July 2021 for the 2020 academic year.
“We are yet to receive allowances for the 2021 academic year. We are supposed to be receiving these allowances in September of every year, before the start of the academic year as we have to pay for accommodation, medical insurance, visa renewal, books, internet, food, transportation, etc.,” he said.
Responding to the allegations, the Press Attaché at embassy, Festus J. Lahai, said they were aware of their situation and that the government was working to address those concerns. He told Politico that the situation was not unique to those in Russia and that it was the same for all Sierra Leonean students studying on scholarship abroad.
He noted that the government had paid all the two-year backlog for 2017 – 2019 which they had inherited at the time they had 60 students on scholarship.
He said they currently had 93 students and 30 others who were set to join them in Russia by the next academic year.
Lahai noted that part of the delay was due to the fact that the government wanted to have a formidable database of all Sierra Leonean students abroad so that they were adequately informed about the number of funds needed every year.
“We are appealing to them that they be patient as we put their documentation together to arrange how to disburse the cash. The data has already been collated and sent to the Foreign Ministry in Sierra Leone,” he said.
He added: “I am very sure that pretty soon all their stipend issues will be addressed”, warning that the protest would not send a good signal for prospective students.
He noted that the current Ambassador to Russia had a special case for additional 20 places for Sierra Leonean medical students at the Rudn People’s Friendship University of Russia.
He said they would continue to engage the students while calling on them to be a little more patient.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (05/08/22)
