Halt Unauthorized Fee Increases – Education Minister Orders Public Universities
By: Solomon Tetteh Nartey
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has directed the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to issue a clear instruction to all public universities to stop any unauthorised increase in school fees.
This follows reports that some universities have raised their tuition fees after the government introduced the No Fees Stress Policy, which provides free tertiary education for first-year students and persons with disabilities.
Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, Mr. Iddrisu expressed concern that some institutions were taking advantage of the new policy to make students pay more. He described the move as unfair and against the spirit of the government’s social intervention.
According to the minister, the No Fees Stress Policy is one of the most impactful education programmes introduced by the government, aimed at reducing the financial pressure on students and families. He urged universities to comply with the directive and warned that any institution found violating it would face strict action.
“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,” he said.
“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, 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 added
The Minister stressed that the government remains committed to making tertiary education accessible and affordable for all, especially students from low-income backgrounds.
In a related development, Mr. Iddrisu announced that the Ministry of Education is reviewing the policy that requires private universities to be shut down if they fail to obtain a presidential charter within 10 years of operation.
He said the review is to give such institutions more time to meet the necessary requirements for independent operation, following several appeals from these private university owners.
Mr. Iddrisu assured that the government will continue to work with all education stakeholders to ensure fairness, quality, and access across Ghana’s tertiary institutions.
