President John Mahama has revealed that more than 152,000 first-year students in public tertiary institutions have benefited from the government’s No-Fees-Stress Initiative, a policy designed to remove financial barriers to higher education.
Speaking in Parliament during his State of the Nation Address on Friday, the President reported that the initiative, which covers upfront academic user fees for newly admitted students, has made a significant impact in its first year.
“Mr Speaker, education remains pivotal to our national transformation agenda. In this regard, the year 2025 was both eventful and momentous for Ghana’s education sector,” President Mahama said.
“I am pleased to report that all flagship initiatives and commitments contained in our Reset Manifesto were faithfully honoured during the year under review. The No-Fees-Stress Initiative was successfully launched in Koforidua and has benefited over 152,698 duly validated first-year students in public tertiary institutions.”
He projected that the number of beneficiaries would rise sharply in the coming academic year. “We expect this number to exceed 220,000 in the coming academic year,” he announced.
The President also confirmed an expansion of financial support for students pursuing law. “In collaboration with the Student Loan Trust Fund, law students in Ghana can now access the student loan scheme to pursue legal education,” he stated.
In addition to the loan scheme expansion, the government has launched a dedicated policy for students with disabilities.
“The Free Tertiary Education Policy for Persons with Disabilities has also been launched and is now fully benefiting all eligible persons with disabilities enrolled in our tertiary institutions nationwide,” President Mahama added.
Touching on the pre-tertiary level, the President assured Parliament of stability in the Free Senior High School (SHS) Programme, noting that logistical arrangements have been solidified.
“The 2025 academic year saw a stable, uninterrupted supply of quality food to all schools under the Free Senior High School Programme,” he said.
Education analysts describe the suite of policies as a significant step toward reshaping access to higher education across the country.
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