MoE asked to give date for 1st-year university students fees refund

Former Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Ministry of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng, has asked the government to disclose when first-year university students’ paid fees will be refunded, as indicated by Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Apaak.

In a social media post sighted by Pretertiary.com, the immediate past Education Ministry spokesperson said the clarification on when the refund will be made will help Ghanaians to hold the government accountable.

“Initially, it would have been unwise to refund admission fees directly into students’ personal accounts, especially when they have future fee obligations.

Beyond this clarification, we need clear timeliness on when this refund is going to be made so we can hold the government accountable,” the former Ministry of Education Public Relations Officer (PRO) said in the post.

Kwasi Kwarteng’s comment comes after President John Dramani Mahama’s government recinded its decision to refund the fees paid by prospective first-year students in various government universities during their admission.

The Minister of Education, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, earlier during his vetting, said that the central government would ensure refunds were issued to prospective students who had already paid for the 2025 academic year.

“We intend to provide that money to the affected universities, at least to make refunds to all those who have already paid those fees,” the Education Minister told the Appointments Committee of Parliament for vetting.

The Sector Minister in Charge of Education and Member of Parliament for Tamale South constituency, Haruna Iddrisu, revealed that implementing the policy would cost approximately 345 million Ghana Cedis.

“President Mahama and the NDC promise free tuition for students from level 100 who undertake normal programs in the various public universities of our country, including what he has said, expanded to private tertiary institutions

The country will require about 345 million Ghana cedis for the population of students who enter tertiary institutions,” Honorubale Haruna Iddrisu stated.

But in an interview monitored by Pretertiary.com, Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Apaak, explained that instead of receiving cash reimbursements, students’ accounts will be credited towards their second-year fees.

“The same students are going to be continuing. Rather than the physical reimbursement, going forward, as they go into their second year, what should have come to them to defer their academic fee for the first year will become a credit, which will then mean that as they go to second year, they wouldn’t have to pay because they have already paid for their first year,” Dr Apaak said.

The Deputy Education Minister speaking on Accra-based JoyNews’ Newslight emphasised that, for accountability reasons, the funds would be disbursed directly to the universities, not the students.

“This approach helps us avoid logistical challenges and any potential impropriety,” Clement Abas Apaak told the host of JoyNews’ Newslight.