Dr. Apaak to open new Student Loan office in Tamale on Monday

Deputy Education Minister, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, is expected to open the Students Loan Trust Fund Northern Zonal Office in Tamale on behalf of the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu on Monday, February 16, 2026.

In a post on his X account on Sunday, Dr. Apaak described the new office as a major step toward expanding access to tertiary financing for students in Northern Ghana.

“The Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) Northern Zonal Office in Tamale!” he wrote. “This milestone brings student loan services closer to our northern students, parents, and institutions, making quality education more accessible for all.”

He invited students, guardians, educators and stakeholders to participate in the ceremony, urging collective support for the initiative.

“Join us to celebrate this important step forward for education in Northern Ghana!” he stated. “All are warmly invited, students, guardians, educators, stakeholders, and well-wishers. Let’s come together!”

The Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) is a government agency under the Ministry of Education mandated to provide subsidized loans to students pursuing accredited tertiary programmes. It is managed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the President and operates offices across major tertiary institutions to support applications and address student inquiries.

The Tamale zonal office is expected to ease access to SLTF services for students in the Northern, North East, Savannah and Upper regions, reducing the need to travel long distances for assistance.

The SLTF also runs and facilitates the “No Fees Stress” policy, an intervention designed to remove upfront financial barriers to tertiary education.

The initiative primarily supports first-year students in public universities, technical universities, nursing training colleges and colleges of education by covering academic-related user fees.

Key beneficiaries include students with disabilities, who receive full support, as well as those accessing enhanced loans.

The policy is projected to benefit more than 150,000 students nationwide.

The opening of the Northern Zonal Office forms part of broader government efforts to decentralise educational support services.