The Center for Public Opinion and Awareness (CenPOA) has criticised the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) “No Fees Stress” policy, describing the plan to fund free tertiary education with 2.5% of Ghana’s oil revenue as a misplaced priority, and a populist move that could worsen existing challenges in the education sector.
In a statement signed by Michael Donyina Mensah and released on September 8, 2025 CenPOA said while education remains central to Ghana’s development, the proposal by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu to divert oil revenue for the programme, was “not a deliberate, pragmatic policy for long-term national development.”
“Government’s obligation to provide free education should reasonably extend only up to the Senior High School (SHS) level,” the group stated, arguing that by that stage, citizens would have attained sufficient literacy and numeracy to contribute productively to society.
The organisation further noted that tertiary education should remain optional, supported primarily by individuals, with government assistance provided through targeted scholarships or special interventions.
“Even in many advanced economies, tertiary education is not entirely free but supported through mixed models of funding, grants and private investment,” the statement said.
CenPOA warned that with Ghana still battling fundamental problems such as schools operating under trees, poor infrastructure at the basic level and ongoing concerns about the sustainability of the Free SHS programme, allocating scarce oil revenue to fund tertiary education could deepen the strain on national resources.
“Diverting scarce oil revenues to fund tertiary education under the ‘No Fees Stress’ initiative risks worsening these pressing concerns,” the statement noted, describing the proposal as “a populist promise aimed at electoral gains.”
Instead, CenPOA urged government to focus on investing in sustainable industries and job creation to address unemployment among graduates and to strengthen the economic base.
“Expanding productive sectors of the economy will not only provide employment but also generate real demand for tertiary education in a manner that is sustainable and growth-driven,” the organisation added.
They have called on policymakers, stakeholders, and the public to treat the proposal with caution and to prioritise foundational education and economic growth as the true drivers of long-term national progress.
