“No Ghanaian student will be denied tertiary education over fees again” – Mahama declares

President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled a sweeping policy to eliminate academic fees for all first-year students in public tertiary institutions, in a move he says will make university education accessible to all, regardless of financial background.

Speaking at the launch of the No Fees Stress Policy in Koforidua on Friday (4 July) President Mahama declared, “Let it be known across this land that, from today, no Ghanaian child will be denied tertiary education simply because they cannot afford the academic fees.”

The policy, which takes immediate effect, targets first-year students across public universities, technical universities, colleges of education, and nursing training colleges.

It forms part of the government’s broader efforts to remove what the President described as “long-standing financial barriers” that have kept many qualified students out of higher education.

“This policy is not about welfare. It is about fairness. It is about restoring dignity to the Ghanaian student,” he said.

“It is about affirming that the right to education is not a privilege for the wealthy, but a shared national inheritance.”

President Mahama revealed that while over 150,000 students were admitted during the 2022/2023 academic year, thousands could not enrol due to high fees.

He cited examples of teacher trainees paying over GHS1,300 in admission costs despite receiving only GHS200 in monthly stipends, and university students being charged fees of up to GHS8,000, far beyond the annual student loan cap of GHS2,550.

“Behind each number is a name, a face, a dream deferred,” he said.

The No Fees Stress Policy also includes:

• Full fee coverage for first-year students in public tertiary institutions
• Free tertiary education for persons with disabilities
• Targeted scholarships for underserved regions and critical fields
• Reimbursement of up to GHS2,500 for students in fee-paying programmes without regular alternatives
• A revised Student Loan Plus scheme with increased loan limits
• Annual reviews to ensure student loans reflect actual tuition costs

So far, the government says it has cleared academic user fees for 15,000 students.

President Mahama urged institutions to implement the policy “with transparency, compassion, and excellence.” “Focus, excel, and commit yourselves to serving Ghana.”

He framed the initiative as part of Ghana’s constitutional duty, referencing Article 38(3) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates equal access to higher education.

“We are building a Ghana where opportunity is not inherited but created. A Ghana where education is not rationed by class or cash, but granted by merit and upheld by the collective will of the Republic,” he said.

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