Mahama’s Free Level 100 Policy Stokes Fire

The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), ex-President John Dramani Mahama, has announced plans to provide tuition-free education for first-year students in public universities if elected.

However, the policy has been met with skepticism from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

During the NDC’s youth manifesto launch, Mahama highlighted the policy as part of a broader set of reforms aimed at making higher education accessible to all, particularly for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Mr. Mahama announced that his government will absorb the fees of level 100 students in public universities, effective from the 2025/2026 academic year.

Mahama emphasised that education is a right, not a privilege, and that his government will work tirelessly to ensure that every Ghanaian has access to quality education, regardless of their financial background.

“We will create an enabling environment for young people to thrive and lay a foundation for prosperous Ghanaians not just a few.

“We will increase access to quality education from the basic and second cycle to tertiary levels as well as affordable healthcare and numerous job creation programmes,” he said.

But Dr. Prince Hamid Armah, Chairman of the NPP Manifesto Committee on Education, has questioned the logic and consistency of Mahama’s stance on education funding.

Dr. Armah, who is also the NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwesimintsim, pointed out that Mr. Mahama had previously stated he wouldn’t spend GH¢2 billion on free secondary education, yet now advocates for free university education.

He also raised concerns about the sustainability of the policy, asking what would happen to students in their subsequent years of study.

Dr. Armah argued that offering only the first year for free without a clear plan for the remaining years could lead to financial uncertainty for students and their families, undermining the objective of making higher education more accessible.

The NPP has criticised the NDC’s approach as a short-term solution rather than a comprehensive strategy to address the long-term challenges of higher education financing in Ghana.

The debate highlights the contrasting views of the two major parties on education funding.

Nevertheless, Mr. Mahama insists that the NDC is committed to creating an enabling environment for young people to thrive, and laying the foundation for a prosperous Ghana.

Among the key proposals mentioned by the NDC flagbearer are the 24-hour economy policy intended to stimulate economic activity and create jobs, increased access to quality education from basic to tertiary levels, affordable healthcare, and the establishment of a Ministry for Youth Development to unlock Ghana’s youth potentials.