PRESS RELEASE

Dated: 11th June 2021

                                MoHERST Warns Against Fraudulent Educational Agencies

The Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology has received complaints from the Association of Gambian Students in Turkey and Cyprus, through The Gambian Mission in Turkey and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, on deceitful activities of some unscrupulous individuals in The Gambia operating under the guise of Agents and Educational Consultants.

It has been brought to the attention of the Ministry that these individuals openly advertise their services on local online media platforms and charge students enormous amounts of fees in exchange for false promises of placement at universities in Turkey and Cyprus. More seriously, they also deceptively promise a 90% scholarship package for students for a fee of up to US$500.

The activities of these individuals have caused great financial losses and extreme levels of inconvenience to a lot of innocent Gambians who have travelled all the way to Turkey and Cyprus only to discover the fraudulent nature of the promises made to them. As a result, some of these students have found themselves in dire straits in a foreign land when they are forced to drop out of these universities. This is due to the false expectation of scholarships promised.

In view of the above, the Ministry of Higher Education would like to caution students and parents to be wary of such acts by so-called ‘Agents’ and ‘Educational Consultants’. Their operations are considered illicit and uncalled for. Thus, the Ministry will be working closely with the Gambia Police Force and State Intelligence Service to keep track of false educational agencies. Anyone found wanting of such deceptive acts, will have to face the law.