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Who pays for the free tuition policy for university students? - Thomas Musah quizzes government

Thomas Musah Tanko  GNAT General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Musah

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Musah, has raised concerns over the government's proposed free tuition policy for first year university students, specifically questioning the source of funding.

Speaking on JoyNews on Monday, January 20, 2025, he stressed the need for dedicated and sustainable funding for pre-tertiary students.

"But the question is, who pays for it? The Ghana National Association of Teachers, we have consistently been talking about how we fund education in Ghana. That has always been the question. It looks like we always tend to focus on the expenditure side that we will do this, we will do that, we will get this thing done, we will pay this, we will pay that. As I am speaking to you, we are owing WAEC; we have not paid.

"We are owing the school feeding caterers and the food suppliers. Those supplying the food, we are owing them. We have not paid Capitation Grant, it is in arrears for over two years," he stated.

Musah emphasised the importance of the government addressing the source of funding for the policy.

"If we are adding first-year university students, we are increasing the expenditure. The real question is, how much do we have to add to the budget? "he asked.

Under the free tuition policy for first-year university students, the government will cover the cost of tuition for first-year students in all public tertiary institutions, effectively reducing the financial burden on families and giving students the opportunity to access higher education without immediate financial pressure.

The policy also includes provisions for reimbursing students who have already paid their fees and allowing parents who can afford to do so to contribute.

During the vetting of the Minister of Education-designate, Haruna Iddrisu, on Monday, January 20, 2025, he announced that GH₵354 million would be required to implement the government's free tuition policy for first-year university students.

The policy forms part of the government's broad agenda to make education more accessible and reduce financial barriers for students entering tertiary institutions across the country.

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Source: www.ghanaweb.com
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