President John Dramani Mahama has announced the full implementation of the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities policy, which guarantees automatic and comprehensive fee coverage for all students with disabilities enrolled in Ghana’s public tertiary institutions.
Speaking at the official launch of the initiative at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on Thursday, October 24, 2025, President Mahama said the move forms part of his government’s broader No Fees Stress Policy, a flagship intervention aimed at removing financial barriers to higher education.
He said the new policy ensures that students with disabilities will no longer need to apply individually for financial support. Instead, tertiary institutions will validate and submit the names of students with disabilities through the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) portal, after which their full fees will be paid directly to their institutions.
“Students with disabilities are no longer required to submit applications to the Students Loan Trust Fund,” he explained. “Public tertiary institutions will provide validated lists of such students, and their full fees will be disbursed directly to the institutions.”
The initiative, themed “Disability Not Inability: Advancing Inclusive Access to Higher Education under the Reset Agenda,” is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to promote equity, accessibility, and inclusion in education.
According to President Mahama, the policy will be funded under the government’s education financing framework, which has already disbursed GH₵499.8 million to cover academic fees under the No Fees Stress Initiative, and an additional GH₵40 million specifically for students with disabilities.
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Since the pilot phase of the initiative, 142,440 first-year students in public tertiary institutions have received academic fee reimbursements, including full coverage for validated students with disabilities.
The President expressed gratitude to public universities, technical universities, colleges of education, health training institutions, and colleges of agriculture for their cooperation in implementing the policy.
“We are immensely grateful to the institutions that have agreed to insulate persons with disabilities completely from the stress of fees,” President Mahama said. “Government will provide full fee coverage for all persons with disabilities duly enrolled in public tertiary institutions.”
Minister of Education Haruna Iddrisu, who was present at the launch, was commended for his leadership and people-centered approach in ensuring inclusivity in education policy.
The initiative, President Mahama noted, is a reaffirmation of his belief that “education is the great equalizer which bridges the gap between where a child is born and what that child can become.”
He urged students with disabilities to embrace the opportunity, saying the government stands committed to walking alongside them in their educational journeys.
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“Your resilience and determination are remarkable,” he said. “This initiative is more than just a policy; it’s a promise that government will walk with you, ensuring you can study without financial burden.”
The event, attended by government officials, education stakeholders, and representatives of disability organisations, marks another milestone in Ghana’s push toward an inclusive and equitable education system under the Mahama administration.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
