No Fees Stress: Students will no longer receive direct funds; money will be used to pay second-year fees – Apaak

He explained that the funds would be credited toward their second-year tuition fees.

The Builsa South MP noted that the move is aimed at preventing logistical challenges and any potential impropriety.

During his vetting, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu announced that students who had already paid for the 2025 academic year would receive refunds.

However, Dr Apaak has revealed that after an assessment, it was decided that the money should no longer be given to the students directly, but rather used to pay their second-year fees.

He told Joy News that “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 the second year, they won’t have to pay because they have already paid for their first year.”

He added, “This approach helps us avoid logistical challenges and any potential impropriety.”

The government in the 2025 budget statement allocated GH¢499.8 million for the No-Academic-Fee policy for all first-year students in public tertiary institutions under the ‘No-Fees-Stress’ initiative.

This was announced by the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, during his presentation of the 2025 Budget in Accra on Tuesday, March 11.

“Mr Speaker, an amount of GH¢499.8 million has been allocated for the No-Academic-Fee policy for all first-year students in public tertiary institutions under the ‘No-Fees-Stress’ initiative,” Dr Forson said.

The “No-Fees-Stress” is an initiative promised by President John Dramani Mahama with the objective of easing the financial burden on parents and guardians in Ghana, particularly in relation to the payment of school fees.