Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has revealed that a total of 312,448 students have so far benefited from the government’s “No Fee Stress” initiative across the 2024 and 2025 academic years, at a cumulative cost of GHS 888.8 million.
Addressing Parliament on Thursday, June 18, Mr. Iddrisu detailed the distribution of beneficiaries under the policy and related measures aimed at broadening access to higher education.
“Speaker, the new academic fee policy 2024–25 academic year, 152,698 validated first-year students benefited at a cost of GHS 399,374,727,” he stated.
He continued that in the 2025 academic year, “ongoing 159,750 students have benefited so far for GHS 489,456,427.”
According to him, “312,448 students have been assisted under the new fee stress at a total cost of GHS 888,831,000.”
The Minister emphasized that the initiative is designed to ease the financial burden on young people aspiring to tertiary education, underscoring government’s focus on access, relevance, and quality.
“Mr Speaker, this is what we have done to support young people desirous of accessing tertiary education. Our policy remains access, relevance, and quality,” he affirmed.
Mr. Iddrisu further disclosed additional support for persons with disabilities under a free tertiary education scheme.
“For free tertiary education for persons with disabilities, 2025–2026 academic year, 1,530 persons with disabilities received full fee and residential coverage at a total amount of GHS 9,837,000,” he said.
He also pointed to reforms in legal education financing, noting that government is removing barriers to professional law training.
“I am happy to announce that under this government, we are demystifying legal education. And therefore, students pursuing law and professional law can now apply for the Student Loan Trust Plus,” he said.
He added that “1,332 students receive full fee coverage loans paid directly to their institutions. This includes 610 students from the Ghana School of Law, the first of its kind, Mr Speaker.”
Explaining the broader framework, Mr. Iddrisu remarked: “The new fee stress initiative has several components. They include the new academic fees policy that I have explained to mitigate the financial burden.”
He described the policy as a significant social intervention aimed at expanding opportunities for tertiary education while addressing concerns about affordability.
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