President John Dramani Mahama has officially launched the “No Fees Stress” policy, a flagship initiative aimed at improving access to tertiary education by waiving academic user fees for all first-year students in public institutions across Ghana.
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Unveiled in Koforidua, the programme delivers on a major campaign promise under Mahama’s “Reset Ghana” agenda, which targets economic relief for vulnerable families while empowering the next generation through education.
“This policy was inspired by the real stories of bright but financially challenged students I encountered even before becoming president,” Mahama stated at the launch. “These are not isolated cases. They reflect the urgent need for interventions like this.”
Early response to the programme has been overwhelming. According to the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF), nearly 130,000 students had registered for the initiative by mid-June, with over 100,000 completing the application process.
Government Communications Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu also revealed that more than 19,500 students have already received fee reimbursements. Additionally, SLTF Acting CEO Dr. Saajida Shiraz confirmed that second-semester loans were disbursed to 19,703 students in over 135 institutions.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu announced that the policy has been extended to include students living with disabilities. To support the scale-up, the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) will increase its allocation to the SLTF from GH¢70 million to GH¢150 million.
The “No Fees Stress” initiative is being hailed as a game-changing policy in Ghana’s education sector, reflecting the government’s commitment to inclusive and equitable access to higher learning.
