President John Dramani Mahama has stated that the No Fees Stress Policy initiated by his administration is a demonstration of his belief that education is a right for all and not a luxury for the privileged.

He officially launched the policy in Koforidua on July 4, marking a pivotal moment in the government’s drive to improve access to tertiary education.

Speaking at the launch, he said, “This policy is not about welfare. It is about fairness. It is about restoring dignity to the Ghanaian student. It is about affirming that the right to education is not a privilege for the wealthy, but a shared national inheritance."

The President has emphasized that the goal of the policy, is to eliminate the financial roadblocks that have hindered many gifted students from entering universities and training colleges.

Thus, financial hardship will no longer stand between Ghanaian students and a university education.

“Let it be known across this land that, from today, no Ghanaian child will be denied tertiary education simply because they cannot afford the academic fees,” President Mahama indicated.

He has announced that 15,000 students had received the alerts for payment under the government's flagship initiative, No Fees Stress policy, launched on Friday, July 4 at Koforidua.

"This is just the begining and today, with our student educators, parents and development partners. I am pleased to declare the No Fees Stress policy officially launched," the president declared.

During the launch, President Mahama said he had been reliably informed that 150.000 students have so far accessed the portal, urging other students yet to access the portal to do so with immediate effect.

He further stated that, "Out of this, 34,500.00 have been validated and are awaiting payment. And out of that number as at yesterday,(July 3,) 15,000 students had received the alerts for payment."

The “No-Fee Stress” initiative was a major campaign promise by then-presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama, who pledged to absorb academic fees for all Level 100 students within the first 120 days of his administration.

To support the rollout of the “No-Fee Stress” policy, GH¢499.8 million has been allocated under the 2025 national budget, which was presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson on Tuesday, March 11.

Meanwhile, 35,608 tertiary students across 130 public and private institutions nationwide have received financial support from the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) for the 2024/2025 academic year.

The SLTF, conversely, has reiterated its resolve to release funds on time to allow students to gain admission into their preferred tertiary institutions without financial hindrance.

Earlier this year, the Fund approved financial aid for 9,433 students enrolled in 62 public and private tertiary institutions nationwide.

The Ministry of Education has made accessible a registration portal to help first-year students at public tertiary institutions in Ghana apply for financial assistance under the government’s new No-Fees-Stress Policy.

Launching the portal on Monday, April 29, Education Minister Hon. Haruna Iddrisu described the policy as a bold and strategic move by the government to improve access to tertiary education and invest in the country’s future workforce.

The SLTF explained that the new system will make it easier for eligible students to register, submit their details, and be assessed for financial support.