NDC to scrap university academic fees for 2024 WASSCE graduates

The main opposition party National Democratic Congress (NDC) has promised free university academic fees for this year’s WASSCE for School graduates if elected into power in the upcoming December 7, 2024, general election.

The National Democratic Congress at its manifesto launch said the initiative forms part of a broader set of reforms to make higher education accessible for all, especially for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Festus Mwingsong Akyuuro, a Public Relations consultant and a member of the NDC Youth Manifesto team disclosed this while speaking at the John Mahama-led party event held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).

The NDC spokesperson said that Senior High School (SHS) graduates not paying academic fees at the tertiary level means that a major challenge which keeps a lot of brilliant students out of the classroom would be a thing of the past.

“Promises to improve secondary education have been touted as the greatest achievement, but there’s no funding. You cannot claim this as your crowning accomplishment without proper financing, and the construction of the E-blocks must be completed,” he stated.

“We have students who cannot attend public basic schools, yet we have empty private senior high schools. If we can educate them at the same cost as in public schools, let’s move them there and pay the same amount,” he proposed.

I want you all to stay with me. No fees stress. No fees stress. What are we saying? President John Mahama is simply promising that for all university entrants into level 100, you are not pay academic fees.

No academic fees for all level 100 students. We’ve had many stories about students who finished school with six As, seven As, eight As and we have to start crowdfunding sources for them so they can enter into university. All of that would be a thing of the past in the next NDC administration,” he said.

The opposition party highlighted that the free university academic fees policy would benefit students with excellent grades, such as those achieving 7As, 6As, and 8As, who often face financial barriers despite their academic success.

In addition to the tuition-free education, the National Democratic Congress also promised a “Bed-for-All Policy” aimed at addressing the accommodation challenges faced by prospective students in public universities across the country.

This new policy to be introduced in the next academic year, the NDC said will abolish the current residential system that forces students to move off-campus after their first year popularly referred to as the “in-out-out-out policy.”

NDC said it will partner with the private sector to create a regulated scheme that makes hostel fees more affordable and accessible for all students to ensure that students can afford to stay on campus throughout their university education.