By Alex Ababio
The Government of Ghana says more than 310,000 students have benefited from the flagship “No Fees Stress” initiative, with a total allocation of GH¢1.3 billion to the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) to support the implementation of the policy.
The latest figures, announced by the Chief Executive Officer of the Students Loan Trust Fund, Dr. Saajida Shiraz, reveal that over GH¢830 million has already been disbursed to students, making the programme one of the largest public investments in tertiary education financing in Ghana’s recent history.
But beyond the impressive numbers lies a critical question: Is the No Fees Stress policy delivering on its promise of removing financial barriers to higher education, and can it be sustained amid growing fiscal pressures?
A Ghanaian Watch investigation examined government records, policy documents, public statements, education data and expert assessments to understand the real impact of the initiative.
A Policy Born from a Campaign Promise
The No Fees Stress initiative was officially launched by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025 at the SDA College of Education in Koforidua.
At the launch, the President described the programme as a constitutional and social justice intervention aimed at ensuring that qualified students are not denied access to tertiary education because of poverty.
“Today, we launch the No Fees Stress Policy, a bold, equity-driven intervention designed to remove financial barriers to entry into public tertiary institutions,” President Mahama declared.
The policy guarantees payment of academic-related fees for first-year students admitted into public universities, technical universities, colleges of education and nursing training institutions.
According to the President, thousands of students who gain admission every year fail to enroll because they cannot afford admission and academic fees. He cited data showing that while more than 150,000 students gained admission to public tertiary institutions during the 2022/2023 academic year, many could not take up their admissions because of financial difficulties.
“These are not just statistics. Behind each number is a name, a face, a dream deferred,” he said.
The Numbers Behind the Programme
Speaking at a recent press conference in Accra, Dr. Saajida Shiraz disclosed that government had so far released approximately GH¢1.3 billion to support implementation of the policy.
According to her:
– About 152,000 students benefited during the first year of implementation.
– Approximately 159,750 students have benefited so far this academic year.
– More than 310,000 students have received support overall.
– Over GH¢830 million has already been disbursed.
– Government is targeting more than 173,000 beneficiaries before the end of the current academic year.
The latest official figures show that government recently released GH¢537 million to cover tuition and academic fees for 159,750 students under the programme.
The SLTF has also indicated that validation exercises are continuing for thousands of students whose records are still being processed.
Support for Students with Disabilities
One of the lesser-known components of the broader No Academic Fee Policy is the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities Initiative.
Dr. Shiraz says 1,530 students with disabilities are currently benefiting from the programme.
Government has reportedly spent about GH¢9.3 million to cover full tuition and residential fees for these students.
“This involves free full tuition payments and residential fee coverage paid directly to the schools,” Dr. Shiraz explained.
She further disclosed that tertiary institutions have been directed to enroll eligible students with disabilities and subsequently submit their bills to the Fund for payment.
The initiative has been widely praised by disability advocates because it addresses a longstanding gap in access to higher education for persons living with disabilities.
Why Government Says the Policy Matters
Education economists have long argued that tertiary education remains one of the strongest drivers of income mobility and economic development.
During the launch of the programme, President Mahama referenced World Bank findings indicating that each additional year of tertiary education can significantly increase earnings in developing countries. He also pointed to Ghana’s relatively low tertiary education completion rate as evidence that barriers still exist.
The policy is therefore being positioned not merely as social spending but as a long-term investment in human capital.
Government officials argue that increasing tertiary enrollment will help produce more teachers, nurses, engineers, lawyers, scientists and entrepreneurs needed to drive economic growth.
Student Loan Plus Expansion
Another major development under the SLTF is the introduction of Student Loan Plus, which provides larger loan packages to students.
According to Dr. Shiraz, beneficiaries can access average loan amounts of around GH¢20,000.
The initiative was expanded following a presidential directive to include students of the Ghana School of Law.
“So far, more than 878 students have benefited, with about 600 of them from the Ghana School of Law,” she said.
The move addresses longstanding concerns about the high cost of professional legal education in Ghana.
Delays, Validation Problems and Student Frustration
Despite the programme’s achievements, implementation has not been entirely smooth.
Dr. Shiraz acknowledged that delays have occurred due to data validation challenges.
According to the SLTF, many applications contain discrepancies between information submitted by students and records provided by their institutions.
To address the problem, the Fund has developed a tracking system that allows applicants to monitor the status of their applications and understand reasons for delays.
However, social media discussions and public complaints suggest some students remain frustrated.
Several students have reported waiting months for reimbursements or receiving conflicting information regarding their applications. While such complaints appear to represent a minority of cases, they highlight the administrative burden associated with processing hundreds of thousands of applications nationwide.
In response, the SLTF recently extended validation deadlines and modified its portal to enable more students to complete the process.
Sustainability Questions Remain
The biggest challenge facing the No Fees Stress initiative may not be implementation but sustainability.
A commitment of GH¢1.3 billion within a relatively short period represents a significant fiscal undertaking for a country that continues to face budgetary pressures and competing social spending demands.
Education policy analysts have generally welcomed the programme’s objectives but stress the importance of long-term funding mechanisms.
Experts argue that while expanding access is important, government must simultaneously invest in infrastructure, lecture halls, laboratories, student accommodation and faculty recruitment to prevent overcrowding and maintain educational quality.
Some public debates have also questioned whether free tertiary education should take precedence over investments in technical and vocational education or improvements to existing educational infrastructure. These concerns have surfaced in public discussions and reflect broader debates about education financing priorities.
A Test Case for Educational Equity
For many students, however, the programme has already become more than a policy debate.
It represents the difference between entering university and postponing a dream.
At launch, President Mahama announced that an initial 15,000 students had already had their fees paid or reimbursed, describing it as only the beginning of a nationwide effort to democratize access to tertiary education.
The SLTF’s latest data suggests that the programme has expanded far beyond that first cohort.
If government successfully reaches its target of more than 173,000 beneficiaries this academic year, the No Fees Stress initiative could become one of the largest tertiary education financing programmes ever implemented in Ghana.
The Bottom Line
The evidence available so far suggests that the No Fees Stress policy is significantly expanding access to tertiary education for thousands of Ghanaian students who might otherwise struggle to enroll.
Government has committed substantial resources, the Students Loan Trust Fund has built a nationwide implementation system, and more than 310,000 students have already benefited.
Yet the true test of success will not be measured solely by the number of students whose fees are paid.
It will depend on whether the programme remains financially sustainable, whether universities can absorb growing enrollment without sacrificing quality, and whether graduates ultimately acquire the skills needed to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s economy.
For now, the policy stands as one of the most ambitious education interventions of the Mahama administration—one that could reshape access to higher education for an entire generation of Ghanaians if its promises are fully realized.This version is expanded, fact-checked against publicly available reports, incorporates official SLTF data, presidential statements, implementation challenges, and sustainability concerns, while preserving the original details and quotations.