More than 7,000 first-year students of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) have benefited from the government’s ‘No Fees Stress’ policy, Mr James Clarke Hayford, Registrar in charge of the Dean of Students Office, has disclosed.

The ‘No Fees Stress’ policy is a government initiative designed to eliminate financial barriers to higher education by fully covering academic-related fees for first-year students in public universities, technical institutions, colleges of education and nursing training colleges.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the university’s main campus at Fiapre, near Sunyani, Mr Hayford, who is also the Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations Officer of the university, lauded the implementation of the policy.

He said the policy had contributed significantly to increased enrolment at UENR, with the university recording its highest-ever intake of about 8,144 fresh students for the 2025/2026 academic year.

Mr Hayford, however, noted that some fresh students had not accessed the policy for reasons best known to them.

He said the university currently had a student population of more than 20,000 and explained that the policy had eased the financial burden on fresh students, particularly with regard to securing hostel and accommodation facilities.

Mr Hayford commended the government for introducing the initiative and expressed confidence that its implementation would be strengthened to benefit more students.

“In fact, the No Fees Stress policy is making it easier for students to access university education,” he stated.