The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has clarified that the party’s 2024 manifesto policy, which proposes to waive tuition fees for first-year university students, is in line with the constitutional mandate to progressively introduce free tertiary education.
Speaking to stakeholders, including professional groups in the Volta Region during his campaign tour, the former president emphasized that the “No Fee Stress for Level 100 Students” policy will not impact the internally generated funds (IGF) of the University Teachers Association of Ghana.
Former Mahama explained that, if elected in the 2024 elections, his government would allocate between 270 and 290 million Ghana cedis to fund this initiative. He stated, “We believe that by balancing our resources and budget, we will be able to find the necessary funds to create some level of comfort for our students.”
The former president further elaborated that the policy would be administered through the Student Loan Trust. Funds would be channeled to the Trust, which would then pay the universities directly on behalf of the students. He clarified that this would be a grant, not a loan, and therefore would not be added to the student loan portfolio.
After their first year, students who have settled on campus can then apply for student loans, which, as Mahama noted, are repayable only after graduation and upon gaining employment. “Let me assure you that this policy will not affect the subvention or the internally generated funds of the universities. My government will budget specifically for it,” Mahama emphasized.
He concluded by assuring members of the tertiary education sector that the proposed policy would not negatively impact their funding sources, aiming to provide clarity on the NDC’s proposed initiative.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
