The Student Loans Trust Fund (STLTF) has reaffirmed its commitment to reimbursing all eligible applicants under the government’s “No Fees Stress” policy, despite growing concerns from first-year students over delayed payments.
Speaking to 3news on August 18, STLTF’s Director of Corporate Communications, Obeng Agyenim Boateng, acknowledged that while some students are facing challenges with the registration and validation process, the Trust remains resolute in fulfilling President John Dramani Mahama’s pledge to remove financial barriers to tertiary education.
Out of 200,000 applicants who accessed the reimbursement portal, Mr. Boateng clarified that a total of 120,000 students have successfully been reimbursed with amounts reaching up to GHC 2,500.
The remaining applicants are expected to be paid once validation issues are resolved.
He attributed the delays to several factors, including mismatches between names on Ghana Cards and application forms.
“You will see Kwaku Osei Manu on the Ghana Card, but in applying, you see Kwaku Manu, and so it becomes difficult to reimburse such a person,” he explained.
Other challenges stem from students selecting programmes not officially accredited by their institutions or applying for unaccredited courses.
“We pay through accredited programmes in the institution,” Mr. Boateng noted. “If you choose a programme other than the one recorded in your institution, there will be challenges.”
Despite these hurdles, he assured that the STLTF is working diligently to resolve the issues and that all 200,000 applicants will be reimbursed in due course.
The “No Fees Stress” initiative, a flagship campaign promise by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), aims to ensure that no Ghanaian student is denied access to tertiary education due to financial hardship.
It covers admission and registration fees for students entering public tertiary institutions, with special consideration for those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and persons with disabilities.
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