Prime Highlights
- GAIEC has launched an office and academic partnerships to curb rogue operators in Ghana’s study-abroad sector.
- Industry experts stressed the importance of certified agents in guiding students through international education processes.
Key Facts
- GAIEC is a newly launched association aimed at improving standards in Ghana’s education consulting sector.
- Speakers highlighted risks including scams, unrecognised qualifications and visa difficulties for students who bypass certified agents.
Background
The Ghana Association of International Education Consultants (GAIEC) has launched a physical office and partnerships with several academic institutions as part of efforts to eliminate rogue operators in the study-abroad sector, whose activities have cost families thousands of dollars in lost tuition fees and left students with unrecognised qualifications.
Speaking at the official launch in Accra, GAIEC President Richard Obeng Asuming said the association’s core mission was to ensure that Ghanaian students seeking to study abroad received professional advice based on their individual financial situation, academic background and career goals. He said a professional understood a student’s reasoning and goals, which would shape the advice given. He added that the association aimed to raise the standard of education consulting across Ghana by promoting transparency, fairness and professionalism.
Dr Owusu Boakye, Founder and CEO of Toptter Study Abroad Consult, stressed the need for students and parents to work with certified and accredited agents, noting that such agents received regular training on immigration policies and admission requirements.
A representative of Border Pass, an immigration advisory firm, said the absence of enforceable standards had long left the sector vulnerable, adding that structure was essential across the industry.
Scholarships were competitive, while part-time employment could not sufficiently finance a university education abroad, according to Joyce Appiah-Agyemang, Managing Director of EduSol, who clarified certain misconceptions for prospective students. She said students required preparation beyond visa approval, including guidance on interviews and cultural adaptation.
Robert Wagubi of the Professional Association of International Education Consultants in Uganda outlined ethical standards expected of certified agents, warning that students who bypassed such agents risked scams or visa difficulties.
