Story: Reuben Sackey
The Sunyani Municipal chairman of Ghana Federation of the Disabled ,Kwasi Asante Agyapong has on behalf of the Association thanked President John Dramani Mahama for offering free tertiary education to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
“As we speak now we have physically challenged Senior High School graduates left in the homes because their parents cannot afford to cater for tertiary education”, he noted.
“So we see the president as a good father, and we expect him and his government to implement the policy for us because we are happy to hear the news”, he added
Mr Agyapong who himself is a physically challenged person in an interview with the media made these observations while commenting on President Mahama’s No-Fee Stress policy announcement , which will remove tertiary admission fees for all students, while PWDs will receive full tuition-free education throughout their studies.
Delivering his first State of the Nation Address (SONA2025) before Parliament on Thursday, February 27, 2025, the Ghanaian leader described the financial burden that prevents many qualified students from accessing tertiary education as unacceptable.
“To address this, the government is introducing the No-Fee Stress policy to remove tertiary admission fees, which currently serve as a barrier to higher education for many students,” he said.
The initiative, he added, would be supported by a revised student loan scheme, Student Loan Plus, aimed at easing financial difficulties for students.
In a major policy shift, Mr Mahama announced that persons with disabilities would not be required to pay any fees throughout their tertiary education.
“For clarity, persons with disabilities will not pay fees for tertiary education at any stage of their studies. Any PWD who gains admission to a tertiary institution will not be charged fees,” he stressed.
The decision is expected to bring relief to thousands of students with disabilities who often struggle financially.
Additionally, the government plans to increase Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) enrolment from 11 per cent to 20 per cent to equip more young people with employable skills.
Mr Mahama also acknowledged the infrastructure challenges facing public universities due to increasing enrolment and promised an expansion programme, including feasibility studies for new universities in the six newly created regions.
With over 460,000 students completing secondary school each year but only 161,000 securing tertiary admission, the President said he is committed to bridging the gap and making higher education more accessible.
