First-year students enrolling in Nursing and Allied Health Training Institutions for the 2025/2026 academic year will enjoy a 50% reduction in admission fees.

The new development fulfills President John Dramani Mahama's promise to make education accessible to all groups of Ghanaian citizens under the “No-Fee-Stress” policy.

This information was made known by the Ministry of Health in a Facebook post on Sunday, August 31.

"The Ministry of Health wishes to inform the general public and all stakeholders that, effective the 2025/2026 academic year, school fees for Nursing and Allied Health Training students have been reduced by 50%.

"This intervention has been made possible through the introduction of Government’s flagship '“'No-Fee-Stress” Policy for tertiary students across the country. By this initiative, the Government has absorbed about half of the approved fees for all first-year students enrolled in Nursing and Allied Health Training Institutions," parts of the release read.

All institutions have been directed by the Ministry to strictly adhere to the approved fees and items as communicated by the Ministry.

The ‘No Fees Stress’ policy was launched on Friday, July 4, at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

According to President John Dramani Mahama at the launch, fifteen thousand (15,000) of Ghanaian students have so far received the alerts for payment.

He further stated that, "Out of this, 34,500 have been validated and are awaiting payment. And out of that number, as at July 3, 15,000 students had received the alerts for payment."

“This policy is not about welfare. It is about fairness. It is about restoring dignity to the Ghanaian student. It is about affirming that the right to education is not a privilege for the wealthy, but a shared national inheritance”.

The “No-Fee Stress” initiative was a major campaign promise by then-presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama, who pledged to absorb academic fees for all Level 100 students within the first 120 days of his administration.

To support the rollout of the “No-Fee Stress” policy, GH¢499.8 million has been allocated under the 2025 national budget, which was presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson on Tuesday, March 11.

The Ministry of Education has made accessible a registration portal to help first-year students at public tertiary institutions in Ghana apply for financial assistance under the government’s new No-Fees-Stress Policy.

Launching the portal on Monday, April 29, Education Minister Hon. Haruna Iddrisu described the policy as a bold and strategic move by the government to improve access to tertiary education and invest in the country’s future workforce.

The Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) explained that the new system will make it easier for eligible students to register, submit their details, and be assessed for financial support.

A total of 35,608 tertiary students across 130 public and private institutions nationwide have received financial support from the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) for the 2024/2025 academic year.

The SLTF, conversely, has reiterated its resolve to release funds on time to allow students to gain admission into their preferred tertiary institutions without financial hindrance.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has announced that the Ghana Education Trust Fund’s (GETFUND) allocation to the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) will be doubled in 2026.

"Next year, the GETFUND will double its allocation to the Students Loan Trust from 70 million to 150 million to support students who may want to access it further," the minister said.

In July this year, the government disbursed an amount of GHS 462 million to settle training allowances owed to 120,000 nursing students nationwide.

The six-month payment is part of the government’s wider effort to assist students in Nursing Training Colleges financially.

A statement released by the Ministry of Health on Thursday, July 17, indicated that the new development aligns with President John Dramani Mahama's campaign promise in 2024.

“The Ministry views this development as a significant step in improving the welfare of nursing trainees and sustaining the motivation of future health professionals. It further aligns with ongoing efforts to strengthen the health sector by ensuring that critical human resources receive the needed support throughout their training,” parts of the statement read.

The Ministry extended its appreciation to President Mahama for facilitating the timely release and distribution of the funds.

It pledged to strengthen its collaboration with nursing schools to uphold the quality of healthcare education countrywide.

“The Ministry extends its appreciation to the president of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for fulfilling his promise to the nurses, as well as all other stakeholders involved in facilitating the timely release and distribution of the funds.”

In 2024, President Mahama encouraged trainee nurses to prioritize securing stable employment over relying on allowances. He highlighted the need for sustainable job opportunities in Ghana’s healthcare sector.

Speaking to trainee nurses on Saturday, Mahama acknowledged their financial difficulties but emphasized that long-term job security is more beneficial than temporary financial support.

He assured them that his administration would focus on job creation within the healthcare industry, ensuring stable and rewarding careers for nurses and other health professionals.

“We know the problems with trainee nurses and that is why when we were in government, we said we were going to substitute your allowance with the students’ loan because we wanted to create more employment for you. What is important for you is not the allowance it is to get a job when you finish school,” he stated.

Adding that “But somebody came and said he will pay the allowances. Unfortunately, it was 419…Come and pay the nurses you owe them almost 30 months of arrears. Some of them have left school without receiving their allowances and some of them are going to leave school again without receiving their allowances.

“…I make you a commitment when I come to the hospitals, we were building that have been abandoned by this government we will continue them.

"When I come to the agenda 111 hospitals, they are building I will continue and finish them so that we can create more space to be able to absorb all of you when you finish school. This election is between Ghana and NPP.”