The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has reaffirmed the Mahama administration’s commitment to strengthening the government’s flagship No Fees Stress Policy, describing it as a game-changer in promoting equitable access to tertiary education.
The Minister gave this assurance during a visit to the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) offices on Monday, October 20, 2025, where he commended the agency for its effective implementation of the policy, which he called “the most impactful initiative” of the John Dramani Mahama administration.
His visit comes ahead of the launch of the Free Tertiary for Persons with Disabilities Initiative by President John Dramani Mahama on October 24, 2025, at the Accra College of Education.
During the visit, the Chief Executive Officer of SLTF, Dr. Saajida Shiraz, and her team took the Minister through the newly developed No Fees Stress Portal, designed to enhance accessibility and streamline the policy’s implementation. The Minister applauded the team’s dedication to ensuring a seamless rollout and pledged his continuous support toward reducing financial hardships for tertiary students.
“This government remains fully committed to ensuring that no Ghanaian student is denied tertiary education because of financial constraints. The No Fees Stress Policy is central to that vision,” Mr. Iddrisu stated.
No Fees Stress Policy
Launched in July 2025, the No Fees Stress Policy is a major equity-driven initiative aimed at removing financial barriers to tertiary education for Ghanaian students.
A key component of the policy — the No Academic Fee Policy — eliminates upfront academic user fees for all first-year students in public tertiary institutions, including universities, technical universities, colleges of education, and nursing training institutions. Under this initiative, the State fully assumes the cost of admission and registration fees for eligible students.
More than 150,000 students are expected to benefit from the first phase, with 129,269 students having already received reimbursements since implementation began.
The policy is part of a broader effort to ensure that no student is excluded from tertiary education purely for financial reasons. For the 2025/26 academic year, the SLTF will implement additional components of the policy, including Students Loan Plus and the Free Tertiary for Persons with Disabilities Initiative.
The No Fees Stress Portal will go live on October 23, 2025, offering students a more efficient and transparent platform to access support.
Established under the Students Loan Trust Fund Act, 2011 (Act 820), the SLTF continues to provide vital financial resources for students in accredited tertiary programmes across the country.
Source :www.kumasimail.com
