Thomas Musah, the General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has expressed support for the proposal to cover academic user fees for first-year tertiary students. However, he has raised concerns about the sustainability of this initiative. While he recognizes that it would help alleviate the financial burden on students and their parents, he cautions that the country’s strained education budget may struggle to support such a program without careful planning.
Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show, he acknowledged the proposal by Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education nominee, as a positive step that provides essential support for new students. However, he emphasized that, while the idea is commendable, financing it could present significant challenges for the already fragile national budget. “While this is a great initiative for students, we must ask ourselves: how much do we actually have available to fund these initiatives?” he stated, highlighting the need for a sustainable funding strategy.
He highlighted the ongoing financial struggles within the education sector, including arrears owed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), unpaid bills to school feeding suppliers, and long-overdue payments to food vendors in Senior High Schools (SHS). To make matters worse, capitation grants have been in arrears for over two years, raising serious concerns about the government’s ability to meet its educational commitments.
Mr Musah also pointed to the need for a broader, more long-term strategy to secure reliable funding for education in Ghana, something GNAT has long advocated for but has yet to see fully implemented.
Without this, he warned that any effort to support first-year students could be short-lived and add even more strain on the system.
Mr Musah agreed that paying first-year university students’ fees is a positive development, and emphasised that its success hinges on the government’s ability to secure sustainable funding.
“Without a solid financial plan, the initiative could face significant challenges and deepen the financial pressures already plaguing the education sector” he concluded.
By: Kareen Tei
