SLTF Meets Vice Chancellors of Public Technical Universities to Advance “No Fees Stress” Policy

Ferdinand  | PoliticsGhana | February 11 | SLTF Meets Vice Chancellors of Public Technical Universities to Advance “No Fees Stress” Policy

The Student Loan Trust Fund ( (SLTF)  meets Vice Chancellors of Public Technical Universities to strengthen implementation of the No Fees Stress policy for the 2025/2026 academic year.

Accra, Ghana – February 10, 2026

The Student Loan Trust Fund, SLTF, has intensified efforts to operationalise the government’s “No Fees Stress” policy following a high-level meeting with Vice Chancellors of Public Technical Universities in Ghana.

The engagement, held at Accra Technical University on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, brought together key institutional leaders and SLTF officials to review collaboration mechanisms and roll out funding packages for the 2025/2026 academic year.

The SLTF delegation was led by the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Saajida Shiraz, and the Head of Disbursement, Mr. Kofi Abbew Nkrumah.

Strengthening Implementation of “No Fees Stress”

The meeting focused on deepening institutional cooperation to ensure smooth execution of the No Fees Stress initiative. The policy is designed to ease financial burdens on students in public tertiary institutions by enhancing access to structured financial support.

Dr. Shiraz expressed appreciation to the Vice Chancellors for their partnership and reiterated the Fund’s commitment to efficiency and transparency in loan processing and disbursement.

“We are committed to a future where financial constraints do not stop brilliance,” she stated during discussions with university heads.

According to SLTF officials, the engagement was necessary to align operational procedures, improve verification systems, and reduce administrative bottlenecks that previously delayed disbursements.

Vice Chancellors Welcome Engagement

Vice Chancellors present at the meeting welcomed the direct engagement, noting that timely loan disbursement plays a critical role in academic stability across technical universities.

Some institutional heads raised concerns about delays in past academic years and called for streamlined digital integration between universities and the SLTF database to improve data verification and reduce processing time.

They emphasized that technical universities serve a large population of students from low- and middle-income households who depend heavily on financial aid to continue their education.

Political and Policy Implications

The No Fees Stress policy has become a central pillar of the government’s broader tertiary education financing reforms. Its implementation reflects ongoing efforts to widen access to higher education while addressing concerns about affordability.

Education financing has increasingly become a political issue in Ghana, particularly as youth unemployment and skills development dominate national discourse. Technical universities play a strategic role in workforce preparation, especially in engineering, applied sciences, and vocational training.

Observers note that strengthening the SLTF framework may also influence public confidence in government education policy, particularly among young voters and tertiary students.

Accountability and Transparency Measures

Mr. Kofi Abbew Nkrumah, Head of Disbursement, highlighted improvements in monitoring and compliance mechanisms for the 2025/2026 academic year. These include:

Enhanced digital tracking of loan applications
Closer collaboration with university finance offices
Structured timelines for fund release
Expanded communication channels for student inquiries

SLTF officials indicated that these measures are intended to eliminate uncertainties around tuition financing and improve predictability for both students and institutions.

Broader Education Financing Context

The Student Loan Trust Fund operates under Ghana’s tertiary education financing framework, providing subsidised loans to eligible students in accredited institutions.

Public technical universities remain central beneficiaries under the current expansion phase of the No Fees Stress initiative. Analysts suggest that the sustainability of the programme will depend on repayment compliance, adequate government support, and effective financial oversight.

Education policy experts argue that financial access initiatives must be accompanied by quality assurance and labour market alignment to produce meaningful economic returns.

What Happens Next

Following the Accra engagement, SLTF is expected to hold similar consultative meetings with other public tertiary institutions across the country.

The Fund is also anticipated to release detailed application guidelines and disbursement timelines for the 2025/2026 academic year in the coming weeks.

Students awaiting confirmation of funding packages are advised to monitor official SLTF communication channels and their institutional finance offices for updates.

Conclusion

The meeting between the Student Loan Trust Fund and Vice Chancellors of Public Technical Universities signals renewed momentum in the implementation of the No Fees Stress policy. As government efforts continue to expand access to tertiary education, effective collaboration between financing agencies and universities will be critical in ensuring that financial limitations do not obstruct academic potential.