NUGS Questions Mahama’s Free Level 100 Policy

The President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Daniel Oppong Kyeremeh, has raised concerns regarding the feasibility and sustainability of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s proposed Free Level 100 education policy for students at public universities.

This policy was announced by the NDC presidential candidate, John Mahama, during the launch of the party’s youth manifesto in Accra.

In an interview on the Asaase Breakfast Show, Mr. Kyeremeh expressed skepticism about the policy’s practicality, highlighting a lack of consultation between the NDC and NUGS.

“One of the worrying issues is that these discussions, particularly regarding subsidies on university fees, were conducted without input from the student union,” he said, “We were not consulted on this crucial matter that directly affects us.”

Mr. Kyeremeh emphasised that NUGS has numerous questions about the proposed fee waiver’s feasibility and implementation, which could have been addressed through proper dialogue.

“We would have liked to discuss the policy’s practicality and how it would be executed if consultations had taken place,” he noted.

He criticised the NDC’s decision to exclude NUGS from discussions, suggesting it demonstrated a lack of respect for the union’s insights.

“You want to imply that we have nothing valuable to contribute to issues that will impact us as students? Engaging with us could have led to valuable recommendations,” Mr. Kyeremeh stated.

Against the backdrop of the Free Level 100 education policy, some concerns have also been raised over Mr. Mahama’s neglect to absorb technical universities into the policy programme.

This has generated conversations on both social and traditional media, with many seeking clarification on the NDC’s policy and questioning the party’s commitment to education.

National Youth Organiser for the NDC, George Opare Addo, in an attempt to clarify the party’s position on Joy FM, stated that the policy will initially focus on public universities, with the possibility of including technical universities in the future.

He explained, “We are looking at the public universities for now, but going forward, depending on how it rolls out, I believe along the line, they (technical university students) will all be brought on board.”

Mr. Mahama has outlined plans to implement a “No Academic Fees” policy for first-year university students if elected in December, 2024.

He stated, “My government will introduce a No-Fees-Stress Programme to alleviate the financial burden on parents and students financing tertiary education.”

Additionally, he proposed re-establishing the Student Loan Trust Fund Plus (SLTF Plus) to allow continuing students to utilise loans for their university fees, ensuring peace of mind while studying.

Beyond the Free Level 100 policy, Mr. Mahama also announced plans for an aggressive Bed-For-All programme in partnership with the private sector to address the accommodation crisis on tertiary campuses.

He pledged to engage private investors to regulate housing prices, provide free tertiary education for individuals with disabilities, and abolish the licensure examination for teacher trainee graduates.

In terms of secondary education, Mahama assured that a future NDC government would secure sustainable funding for Free Senior High School (SHS) education by constructing E-Blocks and expanding infrastructure.

He also committed to extending free SHS to students in private institutions and establishing regional Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Centres of Excellence equipped with modern facilities to promote innovation.

“My government will fully implement the National TVET Qualification, increase the amount allocated for student loans, ensure prompt disbursement of funds and de-collateralise the GETFund, and restore it to its original mandate of educational financing,” Mr. Mahama stated.