Accra: Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister for Education, has directed the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to issue a firm instruction to all public universities to halt any unauthorised increase in tuition fees. The directive comes in response to allegations that some universities have arbitrarily raised their fees following the government’s announcement of the ‘No Fees Stress Policy,’ which provides free tertiary education for first-year students and persons with disabilities.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Iddrisu issued the directive while appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament’s public hearing at Parliament House. He expressed concern that some institutions were exploiting the new policy to impose unjustified fee adjustments. He emphasized the importance of adhering to the policy, which he described as a significant social intervention by the President.
Mr Iddrisu stated, ‘Believe me, my most impactful launch as a Minister was when the No Fees Stress Policy was launched; I had a good sleep because this was an impactful social intervention of the President. Many of you MPs sitting here know how much you spend on paying school fees when the period comes. But this is to send a caution as GTEC is here. I have seen some schools increasing their fees because the government said it is absorbing them. We will not accept that. So, make sure you issue consequential instructions to schools not to take advantage of that.’
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to tertiary education and stressed that institutions must align with the administration’s goal of easing the financial burden on students and families. Additionally, the Minister disclosed that the Ministry of Education is reviewing the policy mandating the closure of private universities that fail to obtain a presidential charter within 10 years of establishment. This review is in response to appeals from some private institutions requesting additional time to prepare for independent operation.