Cancel free 1st-year university academic user fees policy to alleviate unforeseen burden – IFEST

Peter Anti, the Executive Director of the Institute for Education Studies (IFEST), has urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to reconsider its free university academic user fee policy for new entrants to public universities.

While acknowledging the policy’s laudable intentions, Mr Anti expressed concerns about its long-term sustainability, citing the substantial financial burden required to maintain it.

He suggested that the policy should be implemented for two or more years, after which it should be phased out.

Speaking in a media interview on Tuesday, January 21, Mr Anti advised that the government should fulfil its promise during its first year in office, but reconsider the policy in subsequent years to avoid its potential negative impact.

According to Education Minister nominee Haruna Iddrisu, the state is set to allocate GH₵.345 million towards the policy, benefiting approximately 125,000 students this year.

Mr Anti argued that the funds allocated for the programme would be better spent on improving teaching and learning resources in schools, particularly by upgrading classroom facilities and addressing other critical infrastructure needs.

He lamented that many projects funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GetFund) remain unfinished, with some Colleges of Education facing decaying infrastructure.

He suggested that instead of using government funds to cover university tuition, the money should be directed towards upgrading these facilities, as parents are willing to pay for admissions, but the universities cannot accommodate more students.

Source: Richard Nana Appiah Kubi/Ahotoronline.com