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125,000 first-year university students to benefit from ‘no-fee stress’ policy — Haruna Iddrisu

Education Education Minister-designate, Haruna Iddrisu
TUE, 21 JAN 2025
Education Minister-designate, Haruna Iddrisu

Education Minister-designate, Haruna Iddrisu, has revealed that approximately 125,000 first-year students in public tertiary institutions are set to benefit from the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) “No-Fee Stress” policy.

Speaking during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, January 20, Mr. Iddrisu explained that the policy is part of efforts by the NDC government to ease the financial burden on students and their parents.

The initiative was outlined in the party’s 2024 campaign manifesto as a key intervention in the education sector.

He emphasized that the policy will make tertiary education more accessible.

“We intend to mobilize, with the Minister of Finance, some additional financing to the population of students. It will be in the region of 125,000 as I look at it, and will provide 375 million Ghana cedis to support that,” Mr. Iddrisu said.

According to him, the government will reimburse students who have already paid their academic fees.

“We intend to provide that money to the affected universities, at least to make refunds to all those who have already paid those fees,” he noted.

The initiative will primarily target public tertiary institutions but is expected to expand to private institutions over time. Mr. Iddrisu also noted that parents who are still willing to pay their wards’ fees can do so under the policy.

The NDC’s 2024 campaign manifesto highlights this policy under its Tertiary Education Financing Support program. It promises to implement a ‘No-Academic-Fees’ policy for first-year students in public tertiary institutions while reintroducing other financial aid schemes such as the Student Loan Trust Fund Plus and a reformed scholarship regime.

If successfully implemented, the “No-Fee Stress” policy is projected to cost the government approximately 375 million Ghana cedis.

Isaac Donkor Distinguished
Isaac Donkor Distinguished

Is a journalist with a keen interest in politics, current affairs, and social issuesPage: isaac-donkor-distinguished

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