The John Dramani Mahama administration, after initially promising to refund fees paid by first-year university students for the 2025 academic year under its free tertiary tuition policy, has announced a change in course.
Instead of direct cash reimbursements, students will now receive credit towards their second-year fees, Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Apaak has confirmed.
The initial announcement of refunds, made by the Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu during his vetting process in January, generated considerable excitement and relief among students and their families.
Iddrisu, addressing the Parliament’s vetting committee, had assured the public that the government would ensure refunds were promptly issued.
“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 at the time.
The Minister further revealed that implementing the free tuition policy for first-year students in public tertiary institutions, including an expansion to private institutions, was estimated to cost approximately 345 million Ghana Cedis.
“President Mahama and the NDC promise free tuition for students from level 100 who undertake normal programs in the various public universities of our country, including what he has said, expanded to private tertiary institutions. The country will require about 345 million Ghana cedis for the population of students who enter tertiary institutions,” Honourable Haruna Iddrisu declared during his appearance before the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
However, the Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, has now clarified the government’s revised approach.
According to him, the money will not be refunded to the students but will instead be used to credit their accounts.
In a recent interview with JoyNews, Dr. Apaak explained that the decision to credit students’ accounts for their second year was made for logistical and accountability reasons.
“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 explained.
Addressing concerns about potential impropriety and logistical complications, the Deputy Minister emphasised that the funds would be disbursed directly to the universities, not to the individual students.
“This approach helps us avoid logistical challenges and any potential impropriety,” Clement Abas Apaak posited.
Therefore, first-year students at the various public tertiary institutions(universities) should note that the fees they paid at Level 100 will be credited to their student accounts for the payment of their second-year fees.
No comment yet, add your voice below!