The government, through the Ministry of Education, has disbursed GH¢917 million to more than 300,000 students nationwide under the No-Fee-Stress policy.
The initiative is aimed at reducing the financial burden on parents and guardians who struggle to meet the cost of tertiary education for their wards.
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, disclosed this during a stakeholder engagement with Vice Chancellors Ghana and other education stakeholders at Adukrom in the Eastern Region.
The No-Fee-Stress policy was introduced in 2025 to provide financial relief to students and families who face difficulties paying education-related fees.
Since its introduction, more than 300,000 students have benefited from the programme, with government disbursing GH¢917 million to support their education.
Mr. Iddrisu said the investment demonstrates government’s commitment to ensuring that financial difficulties do not prevent qualified students from pursuing higher education.
“Government has disbursed GH¢917 million to over 300,000 students. This shows our government’s commitment to ensuring that students who pursue higher education do not suffer along the line,” he stated.
Despite the intervention, concerns have been raised about the long-term sustainability of the No-Fee-Stress policy and the need to secure reliable funding to maintain the programme.
The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Student Loan Trust Fund, has therefore engaged key stakeholders to explore alternative funding models for the policy.
The discussions also focused on ensuring the timely release of funds to students to prevent delays that could affect their academic progress.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Student Loan Trust Fund, Dr. Saadjida Suraj, said the Fund is considering alternative financing arrangements to address the growing demand for student support.
“We are looking at alternative funding models to deal with the urgent need. The Student Loan Trust Fund will be the guarantee institution for all students who will be pursuing higher education,” she noted.
She also underscored the commitment of the Fund to improving the disbursement process and ensuring that students receive the necessary financial support.
Meanwhile, Haruna Iddrisu said government has earmarked additional funding to sustain the No-Fee-Stress policy.
He stressed that financial constraints should not prevent qualified students from accessing higher education.
“Regardless of your financial barrier, if you qualify for higher education, you must be supported by government to pursue higher learning,” he said.
The Minister further assured stakeholders that government remains committed to the continuation of the policy, saying it is intended to ensure that students can complete their education without being unduly affected by financial challenges.
The stakeholder engagement is expected to inform discussions on sustainable financing mechanisms and improved disbursement of funds under the No-Fee-Stress policy.
