The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that all Persons with Disability (PWDs), should endeavor to register with the Student Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) so they can also benefit from the government's "No-Free-Stress" policy .

While addressing a gathering of persons with special needs at the ministry on Monday May 2, Mr Iddrisu mentioned that the registration is imperative to ensure funds are successfully disbursed to applicants, reiterating President John Dramani Mahama’s pledge to make higher education fully accessible to PWDs.

“We are collecting data on persons with disabilities from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and all tertiary institutions for the effective implementation of this policy,” the minister stated. “Your funding will come through the Student Loan Trust, so every person with a disability needs to register,” he stated.

Honourable Iddrisu received a delegation from the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations, led by their president, Mr. Joseph Atsu Homadzie on May 2.

The Federation congratulated the Minister on his appointment and discussed key concerns affecting Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the education sector.

Top on their agenda were access to tertiary education for PWDs, timelines for rolling out the Inclusive Education Policy, budgetary allocations for disability-friendly education, introduction of sign language in basic schools, as promised by H.E John Dramani Mahama and provision of assistive technology to enhance learning for PWDs.

Hon. Iddrisu expressed his appreciation and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to addressing all the issues raised, emphasizing that inclusive education remains a key priority in the government’s Resetting Ghana Agenda.

The ministry has already opened 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.

This initiative, which is being managed by the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF), is aimed at easing the financial burden on students and ensuring that no Ghanaian is denied access to higher education due to lack of funds.

Launching the portal on Monday, April 29, 2025, Education Minister Hon. Haruna Iddrisu described the policy as a bold and strategic move by 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. The portal is now live and can be accessed via

or

For additional assistance, students are encouraged to call 0302751020 or visit any SLTF zonal office across the country.

Meanwhile the government has clarified that first-year public university students who have already paid their academic fees for the current academic year will not receive cash refunds.

Instead, the government will apply the equivalent amount as credit toward the students' second-year fees.

Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Clement Apaak explained to the media that although direct reimbursements will not be made this year, students will still benefit from the policy through a credit arrangement.

“The same students are going to be continuing. Rather than the physical reimbursement, going forward, as they go into their second year, what should have come to them to defer their academic fee for the first year will become a credit, which will then mean that as they go to second year, they wouldn’t have to pay because they have already paid for their first year,” Dr. Apaak stated.

He added that the credited funds would be channeled directly to the respective universities to ensure transparency and avoid logistical complications.

“This approach helps us avoid logistical challenges and any potential impropriety,” he said.

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.

This commitment was reaffirmed by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu during his ministerial vetting earlier this year. At the time, he assured the public that measures were being put in place to issue refunds to students who had already settled their fees.

“We intend to provide that money to the affected universities, at least to make refunds to all those who have already paid those fees,” he stated.

However, with the latest update, the reimbursement model has now shifted to a credit-based system.

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 policy forms part of a wider government effort to reduce financial strain on families and make tertiary education more accessible, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Other key education-related budget allocations for 2025 include GH¢3.5 billion for the Free SHS programme, GH¢564.6 million for free curriculum-based textbooks, and an increase in funding for the School Feeding Programme from GH¢1.344 billion to GH¢1.788 billion, marking a 33% rise.