GH₵500m for ‘No-Fees-Stress’ programme – Finance Minister announces
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has announced a major step toward making tertiary education more accessible, revealing that the government has allocated GH¢499.8 million to support the implementation of the No-Academic-Fee Policy for all first-year students in public tertiary institutions across the country.
The initiative, which falls under the government’s newly introduced ‘No-Fees-Stress’ programme, is aimed at reducing the financial pressure on students and their families, particularly at the start of higher education.
“Mr. Speaker, an amount of GH¢499.8 million has been allocated for the No-Academic-Fee policy for all first-year students in public tertiary institutions under the ‘No-Fees-Stress’ initiative,” Dr. Forson stated during his presentation of the 2025 Budget Statement in Parliament on Tuesday, March 11.
This bold intervention is in line with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s commitment to expanding access to education and delivering on the promise made by President John Dramani Mahama that first-year tertiary students would be exempted from paying academic fees.
Dr. Forson emphasised that this policy is not only a fulfillment of a key campaign pledge but also a strategic investment in human capital development.
By removing the barrier of academic fees, the government seeks to ensure that no student is denied access to higher education due to financial constraints.
He added that the policy is designed to bring immediate relief to parents and guardians who often struggle to cover the cost of tertiary education, especially in the face of economic challenges.
The government believes this intervention will promote greater enrolment, reduce dropout rates, and create more opportunities for young people to build a better future through education.
The ‘No-Fees-Stress’ initiative is part of a broader agenda to build a more inclusive, equitable, and people-centred education system that leaves no student behind.