Mahama launches 'No Fees Stress' policy

President John Dramani Mahama has officially launched the “No Fees Stress” policy in Koforidua, a flagship initiative aimed at removing financial barriers to tertiary education for first-year students in public institutions.

The policy, which waives academic user fees for all first-year students, fulfils a major campaign promise made by Mahama during the 2024 elections and forms a key part of his broader “Reset Ghana” agenda. The goal is to ease the financial burden on vulnerable families and increase access to higher education nationwide.

According to the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF), the response has been overwhelming—by mid-June, nearly 130,000 students had registered online, with over 100,000 completing their applications.

Addressing the gathering, President Mahama said the policy was inspired by the struggles of academically gifted but financially challenged students he met before assuming office.

"These are not isolated stories; these are real stories of people," he said.

Government Communications Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu revealed that 19,500 students have already received fee reimbursements, while the SLTF confirmed that 19,703 students have received second-semester loans as of July 1.

Acting SLTF CEO, Dr. Saajida Shiraz, added that the disbursements covered students in 135 public and private tertiary institutions. Minister for Education Haruna Iddrisu further announced that the policy has been expanded to include students with physical disabilities, with funds being swiftly disbursed to support them.

To strengthen the initiative’s financial base, Iddrisu also revealed that the GETFund will increase its support to the SLTF from GH¢70 million to GH¢150 million, ensuring that more students can access financial aid if needed.