Over 156,000 first-year students in public tertiary institutions to enjoy no academic fee – Mahama

President John Mahama has shared important achievements in education policy. This is part of his 120-day social contract.

One key achievement is hosting a national education conference. Another is implementing a no-academic-fee policy for first-year tertiary students.

On May 7, President Mahama addressed the nation. He mentioned that the education conference received over 2,000 proposals. It also included a survey on free Senior High School with responses from 20,000 participants.

“The report on the consultations will be ready by the end of May 2025,” he said. “It will be made public.” He emphasized that this consultation was vital for sustainable reform in education.

President Mahama highlighted financial support for higher education. The government allocated GH₵452,940,012 for academic fees. This funding covers fees for 156,294 first-year students in public tertiary institutions for the 2025 academic year.

“This was a key promise to ease family burdens and expand access,” he stated. To ensure accountability, he noted that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) will pay fees directly to institutions.

He also announced a no-fee stress application portal. This portal allows first-year students to verify eligibility and register for funding.