Mahama Rolls Out Free Tertiary Fees for Over 150k Students
Over 156,000 first-year students enrolled in Ghana’s public tertiary institutions are set to benefit from a full waiver of academic facility user fees, as the government implements its ambitious No-Academic-Fee policy.
The initiative, backed by a budgetary allocation of GH¢452.9 million, was unveiled as part of President John Mahama’s national address marking his first 120 days in office.
The policy is aimed at easing financial pressures on families and increasing access to higher education across the country.
The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) has been tasked with the disbursement of the funds directly to the institutions, a move designed to eliminate delays and minimize bureaucratic bottlenecks.
To ensure a smooth application process, a digital portal dubbed “No-Fees-Stress” has been launched, allowing first-year students to verify their eligibility and enroll in the program.
In addition to this major educational intervention, the President introduced two more social protection policies:
Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and a health financing scheme known as the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, or MahamaCares.
Funding for the PWD education support has already been factored into the 2025 Budget Statement, with planning underway for disbursements during the 2025/2026 academic year using data supplied by the Ministry of Education.
MahamaCares, on the other hand, is designed to offer direct financial aid to citizens battling chronic illnesses not fully covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme.
The fund was officially launched at the University of Ghana Medical Centre, with the President and Vice President pledging portions of their salaries as seed contributions.
Government appointees have been directed to donate one month’s salary each, and a mobile shortcode (*255#) has been activated to encourage public support.
The bill establishing MahamaCares is set for Cabinet consideration before being presented to Parliament. The initiative is part of broader efforts to address inequalities in health access and provide a safety net for vulnerable Ghanaians.
Story by Adwoa S. Danso
