The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has directed the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to instruct all public universities to immediately stop any unauthorized increase in tuition fees.
The directive comes after reports that some universities arbitrarily raised fees following the introduction of the government’s “No Fees Stress Policy,” which provides free tertiary education for first-year students and persons with disabilities.
Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on Monday, November 3, 2025, Mr. Iddrisu expressed concern that certain institutions were exploiting the policy to impose unjustified fee hikes.
“Believe me, my most impactful launch as a minister was when the No Fees Stress Policy was launched; I had a good sleep because this was an impactful social intervention of the President,” he said.
He cautioned universities, stating: “Many of you MPs sitting here know how much you spend on paying school fees when the period comes. But this is to send a caution: GTEC is here. I have seen some schools increasing their fees because the government said it is absorbing them. We will not accept that. So make sure you issue consequential instructions to schools not to take advantage of that.”
Mr. Iddrisu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to equitable access to tertiary education, emphasizing that all institutions must align with the administration’s goal of reducing the financial burden on students and families.
In a related development, the Minister revealed that the Ministry of Education is reviewing the policy requiring private universities to obtain a presidential charter within 10 years of establishment. He explained that the review follows appeals from private institutions requesting additional time to prepare adequately for independent operation.
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