The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed all public tertiary institutions to maintain their current student fees for the 2025/2026 academic year until Parliament approves any proposed revisions.
In a circular dated 3 November 2025, signed by Dr. Emmanuel Oware Nyarko, Director of Quality Assurance and Compliance on behalf of the Director-General, GTEC cautioned against the unilateral adjustment of fees by institutions without the necessary statutory approval. The Commission observed that some public universities and colleges have in the past reviewed fees without adhering to laid-down procedures, leading to implementation difficulties and student unrest.
“To ensure compliance with statutory requirements under the Fees and Charges Act and in line with its mandate to promote the effective and efficient operation of tertiary education institutions, GTEC reminds all universities that new fees for the 2025/2026 academic year cannot be charged without prior approval from Parliament,” the statement read.
Vice-Chancellors of all public tertiary institutions have been instructed to maintain the existing fee structure and only apply any revised rates after Parliament has granted approval. The directive forms part of GTEC’s efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in tertiary education financing.
The regulatory action follows instruction from Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, who appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on Monday, 3 November 2025. He expressed concern that some institutions were exploiting the government’s No Fees Stress Policy to impose unjustified fee hikes. The policy provides free tertiary education for first-year students and persons with disabilities.
“Believe me, my most impactful launch as a minister was when the No Fees Stress Policy was launched; I had a good sleep because this was an impactful social intervention of the President,” Minister Iddrisu told Parliament. He warned institutions against taking advantage of the policy, stressing that the government would not accept unauthorized fee increases.
The Minister emphasized that many Members of Parliament understand the financial burden families face when paying school fees, noting that the policy aims to reduce that pressure. He instructed GTEC to issue consequential directions to prevent universities from undermining the government’s intervention.
The directive has been copied to the Minister for Education, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education, and the Vice-Chancellors of Ghana (VCG). GTEC reiterated its commitment to promoting accessible and affordable higher education while ensuring institutional compliance with national financial regulations.
Under the Fees and Charges Act, all public entities, including universities, must obtain parliamentary authorization before implementing new charges. The law ensures that student financial obligations remain transparent, legal, and non-exploitative. President John Dramani Mahama’s administration has cleared academic fees for approximately 15,000 first-year students in public tertiary institutions under the No Fees Stress Policy.
