Kofi Asare, Executive Director of Africa Education Watch (EduWatch), has called for the government’s ‘no fee stress’ policy to focus on only assisting needy students so they can get enough to pay for accommodation expenses.
In a Facebook post on Monday, January 20, Asare emphasized that the average GHC 2,750 allocated per first-year student under the Free Tertiary Academic Facility User Fee (AFUF) is insufficient to cover both tuition and accommodation costs.
He stated, “For greater impact, targeting this intervention at the needy would enable needy students get even more to support their accommodation in year one ahead of their first student loan which usually arrives at the end of same year.”
The EduWatch suggestion aims to ensure that financially disadvantaged students receive comprehensive support, enabling them to meet both academic and living expenses during their first year of tertiary education.
This proposal aligns with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s commitment to providing financial assistance to first-year students in public tertiary institutions, as outlined in their 2024 campaign manifesto.
The policy intends to alleviate the financial burdens on parents and students, promoting greater access to higher education.