President Mahama launches 'No Fees Stress' policy to eliminate financial barriers to tertiary education

President John Dramani Mahama has launched the “No Fees Stress” Policy, a landmark initiative aimed at eliminating financial barriers that prevent thousands of Ghanaian students from accessing tertiary education.

The policy, which was a key promise in his 2024 election campaign, provides free tuition for all first-year students enrolled in public tertiary institutions across the country.

The launch ceremony took place on Friday at the SDA College of Education in Koforidua in the Eastern Region. It was graced by the New Juabenmanhene, Nana Kwaku Boateng III, and the New Juabenmanhemaa, Nana Juaben Serwaa III.

The President described the initiative as a constitutionally inspired mission, noting that it fulfills Article 38(3) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates the State to ensure equal access to university or equivalent education for all.

President Mahama said the initiative represents a bold and equity-driven intervention to remove financial constraints that have stood in the way of many capable students.

He declared that beginning this academic year, the government will absorb academic-related fees for all newly admitted students in public universities, colleges of education, technical universities, and nursing training institutions. The President stressed that education in Ghana should not be rationed by wealth or class, but rather granted based on merit and supported by the collective will of the people.

He noted that too many students who gain admission into tertiary institutions are forced to defer or abandon their education altogether due to the inability to pay upfront fees. In the 2022/2023 academic year alone, over 150,000 students were admitted into public tertiary institutions, yet thousands could not enroll because of financial challenges. Data from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission also revealed that many students either defer or drop out of school each year for similar reasons.

The President cited examples of the financial burden on students, including teacher trainees who receive a monthly allowance of GHS 200 but are expected to pay admission fees of GHS 1,362. Nursing students, he added, pay even more—up to GHS 2,340—while the annual student loan of GHS 2,550 is often insufficient to cover university fees, which can reach as high as GHS 8,000. These statistics, he emphasised, represent real people and real dreams that are being lost due to financial constraints.

President Mahama said the “No Fees Stress” Policy is not merely about waiving tuition—it is a transformative effort to unlock potential and reduce inequality. He stated that tertiary education is more than just acquiring a certificate; it is the engine that powers national development by producing skilled professionals, promoting innovation, and strengthening civic responsibility. Citing World Bank data, he said each additional year of tertiary education increases an individual’s earnings by up to 17 percent in developing countries.

He noted that only 18 percent of Ghanaians aged 18 and above have completed tertiary education, according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, which means more than 80 percent of the adult population lacks post-secondary qualifications. In a country aiming to build a resilient, knowledge-driven economy, such a gap is unacceptable, he said.

President Mahama announced that the policy had already cleared academic fees for an initial 15,000 students, marking the beginning of its implementation. He also outlined the broader components of the initiative, which include expanded student loan support, targeted funding for students with disabilities, and long-term scalability to include more beneficiaries.

He called on all citizens to support the programme, stating that Ghana cannot afford to waste the potential of its young people. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and just society, where access to tertiary education is no longer a privilege reserved for the few.

“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,” President Mahama declared. “This is the path to a more just society. This is how we build a future where no dream is deferred, and no potential is wasted.”