The government has started rolling out financial assistance to first-year students in public tertiary institutions as part of a newly launched fee relief initiative.
Minister for Government Communications, Mr. Felix Ofosu Kwakye, announced the development during an appearance on Joy FM’s Newsfile on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
The programme is being implemented through a dedicated online portal introduced three weeks ago. The portal enables students to submit their details for verification, after which approved applicants will receive funds directly into their bank accounts.
“All students who have registered with their universities must also register on the new portal,” he said. “Once your information is verified and your bank account details are confirmed, the money will be sent directly to you.”
The relief package is available exclusively to students enrolled in public universities, technical universities, and nursing training colleges. Private and subvented tertiary institutions are not included in the scheme.
According to Mr. Ofosu Kwakye, the Student Loan Trust Fund is financing the programme. To ensure accurate disbursement and prevent fraud, data from the National Council on Tertiary Education and the Ministry of Education is being used to cross-check enrolments.
He emphasized that the support is not issued automatically. Only students who complete the verification process via the portal will be eligible.
“We are not working with raw university lists,” he said. “You have to fill the portal with verifiable information so we know who you are. That is how we are tracking disbursements and closing the loopholes.”
Responding to concerns about students who had already paid their fees before the programme’s rollout, Mr. Ofosu Kwakye assured that they would receive refunds once their information has been validated.
He revealed that GH¢458 million has been allocated for the 2024–2025 academic year, although the final expenditure will depend on the number of students who register.
He added that even if the programme is sustained in future years, it will cost less than the annual budget for the Free SHS initiative.
“If people can’t afford GH¢1,000 or GH¢1,500 at SHS level, how do we expect them to afford GH¢3,000 or GH¢5,000 at the university level? This is why the intervention is necessary,” he said.
So far, the Ministry of Education reports that over 5,000 first-year students have signed up on the portal. The government is urging all eligible students in public institutions to register as soon as possible to benefit from the fee relief.
