Haruna advocates sustainability of free education policies

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has advocated for the government to prioritize sustaining flagship education interventions, stressing that initiatives like the ‘No-Fees Stress’ policy must be protected for future generations.

Speaking during a visit to the Education Ministry by Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang on Wednesday, Mr. Iddrisu described the policy as one of the administration’s most impactful.

“One of the most impactful initiatives of this government has been the ‘No-Fees Stress’, and it is my wish that we do everything possible to sustain it as a government,” he said.

The minister added that the government had already ended the long-standing debate about the National Democratic Congress’s contribution to social intervention policies.

He pointed to the No-Fees Stress policy and the free tertiary education program for Persons with Disabilities as decisive initiatives introduced under the current administration.

He declared that the current administration had put to bed debates about which social intervention policies the National Democratic Congress had initiated, adding that with the introduction of the No-Fees Stress policy and free tertiary education for Persons with Disabilities, the matter was settled.

Mr. Iddrisu insisted that the focus must now shift from policy launches to long-term financing and support mechanisms.

“For me, what is important now is the sustainability of those initiatives, not the launching of it. How do we sustain them because both parents and students are happy about it,” he maintained.

Vice President Opoku-Agyemang, who once served as Education Minister between 2013 and 2017, was warmly welcomed by officials at the ministry.

Her visit provided a platform for the ministry to highlight reforms and emphasize the government’s commitment to deepening access to quality education.