President John Dramani Mahama has announced that fifteen thousand (15,000) students have received the alerts for payment under the government's flagship initiative, the ‘No Fees Stress’ policy, launched on Friday, July 4, at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

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 have been validated and are awaiting payment. And out of that number, as at July 3, 15,000 students had received the alerts for payment."

Emphasizing that, "This is just the beginning and today (July 4), with our student educators, parents and development partners. I am pleased to declare the No Fees Stress policy officially launched.”

According to the president, 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.

“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," His Excellency indicated.

The President also 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.

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.

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 Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) explained that the new system will make it easier for eligible students to register, submit their details, and be assessed for financial support.

A total of 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.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has announced that the Ghana Education Trust Fund’s (GETFUND) allocation to the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) will be doubled in 2026.

"Next year, the GETFUND will double its allocation to the Students Loan Trust from 70 million to 150 million to support students who may want to access it further," the minister said.