President John Dramani Mahama has launched a landmark Free Tertiary Education policy for Persons with Disabilities, framing it as a strategic investment in the nation's future and a moral obligation, not an act of charity.
He emphasised that enabling every Ghanaian to reach their potential was the true measure of the nation's character.
Speaking at the launch of the policy last Friday, President Mahama quoted the late South African leader, Nelson Mandela, saying, “A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens but by how it treats its lowest ones.”
"This policy is a defining moment in Ghana’s journey towards inclusion and equality," he said.
Pledge honoured
The initiative, which fulfils a campaign pledge by the President, is designed to remove financial barriers and provide equal access to higher education.
President Mahama framed it as a direct investment in Ghana’s most valuable resource: its people.
“Each student supported under this policy becomes an asset to our nation. A potential engineer, a teacher, an entrepreneur. Their success will strengthen Ghana’s economy and enrich our collective humanity,” he said.
Citing the 2021 Population and Housing Census, which recorded over two million Ghanaians living with disabilities, the President highlighted the human potential behind the statistic.
“Behind this figure are real human stories of talent waiting to be nurtured and of dreams that deserve to be fulfilled,” President Mahama said, noting that many still faced barriers of poverty, stigma, and the lack of opportunity.
President Mahama positioned the new policy as a bold advancement of the Inclusive Education Policy introduced by his government in 2015.
He rallied all stakeholders, including Corporate Ghana, to join the effort in promoting nationwide inclusion.
Implementation, funding
The revamped and digitised Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) will lead the policy's implementation to ensure transparency and efficiency.
Previously administered disability scholarships from the Scholarship Secretariat will be integrated into this new universal scheme under the SLTF.
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, announced that, under the President's directive, GETFUND would contribute GH¢50 million annually to support the SLTF and the broader No Fees Stress policy.
Meanwhile, the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the SLTF, Dr Saajida Shiraz, described the policy as "a testament to the President's unwavering commitment to inclusivity and equity in education," adding that it marks "a significant milestone in government's efforts to empower persons with disabilities through education."
Dr Shiraz said, based on lessons from the pilot phase of the "No Fees Stress" initiative, students with disabilities would no longer need to apply directly to the SLTF.
Instead, public tertiary institutions will provide verified lists of eligible students through the SLTF's Tertiary Institutions Portal for direct disbursement of full fees.
"We are grateful to our partner institutions, including public universities, technical universities, colleges of education, health training institutions and colleges of agriculture for agreeing to insulate persons with disabilities completely from the stress of fees," Dr Shiraz stated.
