Education Minister halts unapproved fee increases by Public Universities

The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has directed the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to immediately instruct all public universities to suspend any unauthorized increases in tuition fees.

This follows reports that some universities had unilaterally raised fees despite the government’s implementation of the “No Fees Stress Policy”, which provides free tertiary education for first-year students and persons with disabilities.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on Monday, November 3, 2025, Mr. Iddrisu expressed disappointment at institutions attempting to exploit the policy for financial gain.

“Believe me, my most impactful launch as a minister was when the No Fees Stress Policy was introduced; I had a good sleep because this was an impactful social intervention of the President,” he stated.

He cautioned universities against arbitrary fee adjustments, emphasizing that such actions would not be tolerated.

“Many of you MPs here know how much you spend on paying school fees when the period comes. But this is a caution GTEC is here. I have seen some schools increasing their fees because government said it is absorbing them. We will not accept that. Make sure you issue consequential instructions to schools not to take advantage of this policy,” he directed.

Mr. Iddrisu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring accessible and affordable tertiary education, urging all institutions to align with the administration’s vision of reducing the financial burden on students and their families.

In a related development, the Minister disclosed that the Ministry of Education is reviewing the policy requiring private universities to obtain a presidential charter within 10 years of operation or face closure.

He explained that the review follows petitions from several private institutions seeking additional time to prepare adequately for independent status.