Lecturers and staff from public universities in the Ashanti Region recently endorsed the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s “No Academic Fees” policy for first-year students’ at all public tertiary institutions.

According to the lecturers, the initiative would help equip young people for the job market by reducing financial barriers to higher education.

The lecturers highlighted the significant challenges faced by many students in pursuing tertiary education after benefiting from the Free Senior High School (SHS) program.

In 2022, out of 446,000 beneficiaries of Free SHS, only 164,000 were able to advance to tertiary institutions.

According to the NDC university lecturers and staff, financial constraints were a key factor preventing more students from continuing their education.

In addition to the proposed first-year free tertiary education policy, the NDC has pledged to reintroduce the Students Loan Trust Fund Plus for continuing students to help with fee payments.

The party has also proposed expanding accommodation facilities at tertiary institutions to lower the cost of housing for students.

Professor Nathaniel Bosu, a member of the group, voiced his support for the policy, comparing it to the feasibility of the Free SHS initiative.

Speaking to JoyNews, he said, “If Free SHS was feasible, the free first year in the university should also be feasible. Some say the money is there, but what’s important is how efficiently it is used. The free first-year university program is designed to relieve parents who are already burdened.”

The university staff engaged in a march through Kumasi to campaign for the NDC, expressing optimism about the party’s potential success in the upcoming elections.

They believe that the “No Academic Fees” policy would ease financial burdens on families and open more educational opportunities, ultimately benefiting Ghana’s future workforce.