Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang is the first female Vice President of Ghana

Vice President Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has announced that the government's flagship "No Fees Stress" policy will officially be launched on Thursday, July 4, 2025.

This initiative is designed to remove financial barriers to higher education for first-year students enrolled in public tertiary institutions.

Speaking at the 58th Special Congregation of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi on Saturday, June 28, Professor Opoku-Agyemang hailed the policy as a "game-changer" for enhancing access and equity within Ghana’s tertiary education sector.

"One of the models that enhances access to quality education is the No Fees Stress policy," she stated.

"Through this policy, first-year students in public institutions will be exempted from paying academic-related fees," she added.

The Vice President revealed that by mid-June, nearly 130,000 students had accessed the dedicated "No-Fee-Stress" portal, with over 100,000 having already completed their applications.

The Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) is managing the initiative, playing a crucial role in verifying and processing applications.

In addition to improving access to education, Professor Opoku-Agyemang reiterated the government’s ongoing commitment to supporting academic research through the National Research Fund.

She highlighted that this fund was first initiated by the NDC government in 2016 under her leadership at the Ministry of Education.

"After much debate, the bill was passed by Parliament as the National Research Fund Act. This government is once again committed to making the fund operational and has allocated an initial GH¢50 million to it,” she announced, adding that the fund now has a board and a functioning secretariat.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang further stressed the importance of preserving academic freedom and institutional autonomy while ensuring regulatory standards through the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).

“President Mahama is firmly committed to empowering university councils and management to perform their statutory duties without undue political interference,” she assured.

However, she clarified that the Ministry of Education, through GTEC, would continue to ensure that all institutions comply with established regulations and standards.

“The ministry will intervene for compliance but not interfere unduly with legitimate processes and operations of universities,” she stressed.

The Vice President concluded her address by underscoring that these initiatives collectively reflect the government’s broader vision for an inclusive, well-funded, and autonomous higher education sector, driven by robust research and innovation.

AS/VPO

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