The much-touted no-fee stress policy for first-year tertiary students has come under sharp scrutiny, as New Patriotic Party (NPP) communicator Dennis Miracles Aboagye has launched a stinging critique of the government’s latest directive.
According to Aboagye, the policy that initially pledged zero tuition fees for all first-year tertiary students has now been reduced to a complicated bureaucratic process requiring applications through the Student Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) portal—leaving many students feeling misled and disappointed.
For many young Ghanaians, the no-fee stress policy was a bold promise that seemed too good to be true. Now, they fear it might have been.
According to Aboagye, the government’s shift from a universal, automatic tuition waiver to a selective, application-based refund scheme is not only deceptive but deeply unfair.
“First, you failed to fulfill that promise as the academic years started already, and the poor who could not afford to raise the fees or get a loan have already been left at home and could not enroll in school. Then, you tell us you will refund to them.”
Dennis Miracles Aboagye
This stark observation on the no-fee stress initiative underscores the core issue with the policy’s rollout. Those unable to afford the initial costs were left behind—unable to enroll, and thus excluded from any potential refund.
How, then, Aboagye asked, can the government claim to offer relief when the most vulnerable students never made it to campus?
“For the poor child who could not enroll because they couldn’t raise the fees, [they] are at home and not in school. So, how do you refund to the poor child who could not go to the school at all due to their inability to raise the fees?”
Dennis Miracles Aboagye
He noted that the government’s directive stings even more when placed in the context of the NDC’s campaign promises.
The no-fee policy was a major plank in the party’s pitch to Ghanaian youth. Students and families took the NDC at its word, many abandoning other funding options in anticipation of direct government support. Now, as reality hits, the sense of betrayal is palpable.
Delayed No-Fee Stress Policy Crushes Hopes
Furthermore, Dennis Miracles Aboagye expressed concern over the crushed hopes of first-year students, emphasizing that many purchased admission forms based on the government’s promise of a no-fee stress policy.
For these students, the forms symbolized more than just access to tertiary education—they reflected trust in a government that pledged to reduce their financial burden.
Instead, they now face a new burden—one that comes with a login page, unclear criteria, and unanswered questions.
“Now, you introduce a portal?; To do what exactly?; You don’t have the list of first years from the tertiary institutions? Or is your policy indeed not for all first-year tertiary students?”
Dennis Miracles Aboagye
According to him, by introducing an application process, the NDC government has effectively placed a filter on a policy it initially presented as universal.
Aboagye’s line of questioning is sharp and relentless: What is the selection criteria? How is this different from existing student loans? Will beneficiaries have to repay the funds?
“For those who went for loans and are hoping to receive the refund to pay off their loans, [they] are left in limbo cos you claim you won’t refund directly to them.
“From the get-go, we knew the policy announcement was fishy and knew it was just for the votes, but for the Love of Ghana, can the government simply be sincere and implement exactly what they implemented and stop jumping around?”
Dennis Miracles Aboagye
For many observers, that question captures a broader disillusionment with how social policies are politicized and then poorly executed.
The government has a chance to rectify this misstep, but it must do so with humility, transparency, and urgency.
If the NDC truly intends to ease the financial burden on first-year tertiary students, it must ensure that access to this support is not dependent on luck, privilege, or the ability to navigate bureaucratic hurdles. It must go back to what it promised and make that vision a reality.
Aboagye closes with a scathing plea: “Be sincere and consistent for once… not your strongest of areas as a party and government, but make an exception with this policy and do what is right…”
Whether or not the NDC heeds this call remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the no-fee policy is no longer just a campaign promise—it is a test of trust, and that trust is hanging by a thread.
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