The Minister-Designate for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, revealed that approximately GH₵345 million will be required to fully implement the government’s proposed free tuition policy for first-year tertiary students. During his vetting by the Appointments Committee in Parliament on January 20, 2025, the Tamale South MP emphasized the policy’s potential to increase access to tertiary education nationwide.
He noted that the allocated funds would cover tuition fees for students entering tertiary institutions, ensuring equitable access to higher education. The government plans to channel the required funds directly to the affected universities. Additionally, provisions will be made to reimburse students who have already paid their tuition fees, ensuring fairness in the policy’s implementation.
According to Haruna Iddrisu, “The country will require about ₵345 million for the population of students who enter tertiary institutions… We intend to provide that money to the affected universities, at least, to make refunds to those who have already paid fees.”
The new policy will also offer flexibility to parents, allowing those willing to pay fees to do so under the framework introduced by the National Democratic Congress (NDC). As Haruna Iddrisu stated, “The beauty of this is that parents who are willing to pay can do so under this policy that has been introduced by the NDC.”
This announcement follows the NDC’s pledge to implement the free tertiary tuition policy during their 2024 campaign, aiming to ease the financial burden on students and their families while promoting greater access to higher education. The minister-designate has pledged to ensure the policy’s effective implementation.
