President John Dramani Mahama has announced that tuition fees for 15,000 first-year students in public tertiary institutions have been fully paid under the new “No Fees Stress” policy. The landmark initiative, unveiled last Friday at SDA College of Education in Koforidua, aims to remove financial barriers hindering young Ghanaians from accessing higher education.
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Describing the policy as a “moral, constitutional, and developmental imperative”, President Mahama said: The launch event, themed “No Fees Stress: Providing Equal Financing for Tertiary Education”, drew top figures from government and education, including Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, Interior Minister Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, university heads, student leaders, and traditional authorities such as Juabenmanhene Nana Kwaku Boateng III and Juabenmanhemaa Nana Juaben Serwaa III.
The policy, which took effect this academic year, covers admission-related fees for first-year students in public universities, colleges of education, technical universities, and nursing training institutions. With fees ranging from GH¢1,362 to GH¢8,000, it provides critical relief for families struggling with the cost of tertiary education.
“Behind each number is a name, a face, a dream deferred,” Mahama stressed.policy is more thathe wealthy bu
Other features of the initiative include:
- A revamped Student Loan Plus scheme for continuing students.
- Full financial coverage for persons with disabilities.
- Partial reimbursements of up to GH¢2,500 for students in fee-paying programmes.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu announced that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) will double its allocation to the Student Loan Trust Fund from GH¢70 million to GH¢140 million next fiscal year to ensure sustainability.
Dr. Saajida Shiraz, CEO of the Students Loan Trust Fund, revealed that over 124,000 first-year students have applied for support, with nearly 50,000 validated for reimbursement so far. is the great G
Rooted in Article 38(3) of the 1992 Constitution, the “No Fees Stress” policy marks a bold step toward equitable, inclusive, and future-oriented education reform. “We are building a Ghana where opportunity is not inherited but created,” President Mahama declared.