Sierra Leonean Students in Morocco Seek Answers Over Unpaid 2025/2026 Stipends
Sierra Leonean students in Morocco are calling for urgent action over unpaid 2025/2026 academic-year stipends as they begin a new academic year without the financial support they expected.
In a statement issued on Friday, the students said the delay has made it difficult to cover accommodation, food, transportation and academic expenses.
The students did not identify which government agency is responsible for the delay or provide a specific date on which the outstanding payments were expected to be released.
Their appeal comes against the backdrop of a documented stipend-disbursement process for Sierra Leonean scholarship students in Russia.
The Sierra Leone Embassy in Moscow announced Sept. 8 that funds for the 2025/2026 academic year had been credited to its account, with payments scheduled to begin Sept. 11. Students were required to provide proof of Sierra Leonean citizenship, current university enrollment, and academic progress before collecting their stipends.
The Russia arrangement does not establish that students in Morocco follow the same payment schedule or administrative process. However, Moroccan-based students cited the difference as a source of concern in their appeal.
The students said they recognise that stipend payments may require coordination among government institutions and other bodies. They nevertheless argued that the length of the delay warrants clarification and a resolution.
Sierra Leone and Morocco have an established education partnership. In February, the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education said Sierra Leone and Moroccan officials were working to improve the country’s use of Moroccan government scholarships, including by addressing application timelines, eligibility requirements and coordination.
The Sierra Leone Embassy in Rabat also recently hosted an event honoring Sierra Leonean students who graduated in Morocco during the 2025/2026 academic cycle, according to Morocco’s Agency for International Cooperation.
The students’ statement appealed for the outstanding stipend to be paid while urging affected students to remain calm and use appropriate channels to raise their concerns.
Their immediate request is for the government and relevant institutions to clarify the status of the unpaid 2025/2026 allowances and complete the disbursement to eligible students.