President Mahama promises SDA College of Education multi-purpose lecture hall and hostel facility

President John Dramani Mahama has assured the SDA College of Education in Koforidua of the government’s plans to provide them with a male hostel and a multi-purpose lecture hall complex and auditorium.

The President made the announcement, when he formally launched the Government’s flagship programme in education, dubbed the “No Fees Stress Policy” initiative at the SDA College of Education in Koforidua.

This was in response to a request from Professor Vincent Adzahlie-Mensah, the Principal of the SDA College of Education, for the government to provide the school with a multi-purpose lecture hall complex and auditorium.

Prof Adzalie-Mensah noted that such a facility would be named after President Mahama.

The “No Fees Stress Policy” initiative, which is in fulfillment of President Mahama’s campaign promise, is as part of efforts by the Government to boost enrolment into the nation's tertiary institutions.

The policy will provide free tuition for all first-year students in the nation's public tertiary institutions.

President said when the SDA College of Education was chosen as the venue for the “No Fee Stress Policy” launch, he asked what one of the pressing needs in the College was so that they could reward them for hosting the initiative.

He said he was told that the College was in dire need of a male hostel.

He said upon hearing the principal saying that the College was in dire need of a multi-purpose lecture hall complex and auditorium, he consulted Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, and they agreed to provide the College with a male hostel facility and a multi-purpose lecture hall complex and auditorium.

He said an allocation would be made in the Government’s next budget for a male hostel and a multi-purpose lecture hall complex and auditorium for the College.

In addition, the principal raised the issue of mobility vehicles, to which the President disclosed that this year the Ministry of Education was ordering 66-seater buses for tertiary education institutions, of which the SDA College of Education would benefit from one of them.

Touching on the principal's request for a replacement of his 18-year-old official vehicle, the President said the Education Ministry was also ordering 50 vehicles for principals of colleges of education, of which the Principal of the SDA College of Education would benefit.

“So, your principal will also benefit from one vehicle. So Principal, we don’t need to leave any of the vehicles we brought behind, yours is coming. Manage with the 18-year-old for the meantime,” the President said.

With regards to the “No Fees Stress Policy”, President Mahama said the initiative that speaks directly to the heart of their national aspirations: The right of every Ghanaian child to access tertiary education, regardless of family income, social background, or place of birth.

“Today, we launch the No Fees Stress Policy, a bold, equity-driven intervention designed to remove financial barriers to entry into public tertiary institutions,” the President said.

He added: “Beginning this academic year, the State will cover the academic-related fees of all first-year students admitted into our public universities, colleges of education, technical universities, and nursing training institutions who, in many cases, would otherwise have had to forgo their dreams.”

He said the launch of the initiative was a constitutionally inspired mission, and that they had also fulfilled their constitutional mandate under Article 38(3) of the 1992 Constitution, which enjoins the State to provide equal access to university or equivalent education to all Ghanaians.

The event was graced by New Juabeng Manhene Nana Kwaku Boateng lll and New Juabenmanhemaa Nana Juaben Serwaa III.

GNA