President John Dramani Mahama has encouraged Ghanaian students to make the most of the newly launched No Fees Stress policy and commit themselves to national development.
Addressing a gathering in Koforidua during the official launch of the policy on Friday, July 4, President Mahama called on students to view the intervention not just as financial relief, but as a call to excellence, dedication, and service to country.
“To our students: This opportunity is yours to seize. Focus, excel, and commit yourselves to serving Ghana,” he urged.
The No Fees Stress policy eliminates academic-related fees for all first-year students admitted into public tertiary institutions from the 2025 academic year. It aims to remove financial barriers that have historically prevented thousands of qualified students from enrolling in or completing their tertiary education.
According to the President, behind each unpaid fee is a “name, a face, a dream deferred.” He shared troubling statistics that highlight the scale of the issue.
President Mahama said the No Fees Stress policy is not a handout, but an equity-based intervention that upholds the constitutional right of all Ghanaians to equal access to university and equivalent education.
“This policy is not about welfare. It is about fairness. It is about restoring dignity to the Ghanaian student,” he said, adding that education should not be “a privilege for the wealthy, but a shared national inheritance.”
READ: Implement the policy with compassion and excellence – Mahama to universities
Beyond the fee waiver, the initiative includes:
- A Student Loan Plus scheme with improved access and expanded support for continuing students;
- Free tertiary education for persons with disabilities;
- Increased loan amounts adjusted annually; and
- Targeted scholarships and fee reimbursements for underrepresented communities and students in fee-paying programmes.
President Mahama confirmed that academic user fees for an initial 15,000 students had already been cleared. He appealed to students to embrace the opportunity and use it to fuel their potential and their commitment to nation-building.
“This is how we build a future where no dream is deferred, and no potential is wasted,” he said. “Let us raise a generation of Ghanaians who are confident, skilled, and ready to build a prosperous and united nation.”
The launch was attended by government officials, student leaders, development partners, and heads of tertiary institutions.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
