Friday, July 4, 2025 was a moment of great hope and meaning. Not just for me. But for the entirety of Ghana’s tertiary student body. This was evident in the eyes of the students who had assembled in the Hall of SDA College of Education. At this very venue, the president of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, the Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, and the CEO of the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF), Dr Saajida Shiraz officially launched the “No Fees Stress” policy at the SDA College of Education in Koforidua. For many of us student leaders, who have spent years listening to the cries of students struggling to pay their fees, this moment felt like the breaking of a new day.
I am a student who has felt the burden of education costs, and I have witnessed firsthand how many brilliant minds are forced to drop out, delay semesters, or forgo tertiary education entirely because they could not raise the money for fees. What the “No Fees Stress” policy offers is goes beyond just financial relief. It promises student dignity, opportunity, and a path forward for a resilient future.
The idea that no qualified student will have to delay school or be turned away simply because they cannot pay their fees upfront is revolutionary. Just as the idea of “Free SHS”. Under this policy, students do not have to worry about their first-year fees. They can now access loans with ease from SLTF, pay their fees on time, and focus on their studies without anxiety or shame. No more begging from benefactors or standing in long queues just to beg for leniency. No more watching friends advance while you remain stuck because of money. That stress is now history, thanks to this policy.
But the impact of this policy goes far beyond individual relief. When we make education truly accessible, we empower families, transform communities, and build a stronger nation. Imagine what this means for the girl from a village in Bunkpurugu who is the first in her family to go to college. Or the young man from Ashaiman who wants to study engineering but has been hawking phone accessories or pushing ‘one tyre’ to save for tuition. For them and thousands like them, the No Fees Stress policy is the bridge between struggle and success.
This policy is not charity. Far from that. It is a smart investment in the future of Ghana. By removing financial barriers, we are building a workforce that is skilled, innovative, and confident. We are telling our youth that their dreams are valid, and that government is willing to support them with concrete policies to see to the realization of those dreams.
As a student representative on the Board of Trustees of the SLTF, I can say with confidence that this policy also improves accountability and planning. With the reimbursement of first years fees, SLTF will be able to reach more students, improve our technology, and build a stronger relationship between learners and institutions.
Another beautiful dimension of this policy is that it restores faith in public service and leadership. When political promises are fulfilled, hope is revived. When students hear that their future matters to the very people leading this country, they begin to believe again. And belief is a powerful thing. It can push a young woman to apply to nursing school even if her parents can’t help. It can give a disabled student the courage to dream beyond limits. It can give us all reason to say yes, Ghana is rising. We need this renewed sense of hope to save our country from future implosion arising from years of resentment borne of out hopelessness.
The No Fees Stress policy is not the end of our struggles, but it is a giant leap forward. It is a reminder that when leaders listen to the people and design policies with empathy and vision, lives change. I was proud to be at SDA College of Education, Koforidua, not as a mere guest, but as a witness to progress.
Let us continue to support this initiative, promote it across campuses, and ensure its success. Let us tell our friends, our families, and every young person out there who dreams of a better life through education, that help has come. The stress is gone. The future is here. And it is bright.
Abdul Karim Abubakari
Student Representative
Board of Trustrees
SLTF
