John Dramani Mahama’s promise of paying the academic fees of students entering the first year of all public universities in the country has created a barrage of divergent views on social media.

Speaking at the launch of the National Democratic Congress’ Youth Manifesto in Accra on August 12, 2024, a member of the party communicated Mahama’s promise that first-year students of public tertiary institutions will not be required to pay academic fees to the teeming crowd at the Bukom Boxing Arena.

One of the speakers at the event, a student leader, told the audience that one of Mahama’s promises in the NDC Youth Manifesto is that no first-year student entering the country’s universities would have to worry about paying academic fees.

He said that students not paying academic fees means that a major challenge which keeps a lot of brilliant students out of the classroom would be a thing of the past.

“I want you all to stay with me. No fees stress. No fees stress. What are we saying? President John Mahama is simply promising that for all university entrants into level 100, you are not to pay academic fees.

“No academic fees for all level 100 students. We've had many stories about students who finished school with six As, seven As, eight As, and we have to start crowdfunding sources for them so they can enter into university. All of that would be a thing of the past in the next NDC administration,” he said.

The promise has divided opinions on social media, with some questioning the prudence and timeliness of the promise.

According to them, at a time when the country is under strict financial regulations from the International Monetary Fund, it is out of place for a prospective government to be making promises that will have significant consequences on the country’s revenue generation.

Others also believe that the promise is in the right direction as some persons are usually unable to pay their fees.

TWI NEWS

Read some comments below

Mahama is a walking contradiction, in fact it’s the whole of the Ndc!These guys have been crying that Ghana is broke and that it’ll take 50 years to reset the country, all of a sudden we have money to pay fees of all first year students in all tertiary schools hm… we’ll be there pic.twitter.com/ZdW2TZxdYj

— Sammy (@sonofjacob98) August 12, 2024

Promising to cover the fees of first-year tertiary students is a senseless and dangerous campaign promise. The NDC never fails to turn up whenever they are needed for their emptiness.

— 𝐊𝐨𝐟𝐢 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐟𝐨-𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐨🇬🇭🕊️ (@ksarfo_ababio) August 12, 2024

No fees for level 100 students' entry into Tertiary. - John Mahama

Great but more jobs dey hia waaa

— EL-DAD (@ChristDeKing) August 12, 2024

Dear @gyaigyimii, I hope all schools under trees have vanished, all roads have been well constructed, unemployment rate is 0% and so now your John Mahama can confidently pay fees for all level 100s in the 171 Public Tertiary Institutions which will even be more expensive than the… https://t.co/VCyupEiwad

— Fiifi Sage (@_Fiifi_Sage) August 12, 2024

So the content of the youth manifesto has it that all first year students across all public tertiaries wouldn't pay a dime as tuition fees, what if their parents can't afford the fees cause they presume it would be a free tertiary education. Do these students defer or drop out

— 캴나ㅓㅣ커ㅣㅍ난🦋 (@_KyrieKevin) August 12, 2024

NDC is saying if you get admissions into any tertiary,you won’t pay fees but it will be incurred as a Loan

— Caleb Qwofi Right (@calebeshun) August 12, 2024

i mean, no one will attempt to pursue tertiary education just because tuition fees for the first year are taken by the government, we all know there are other secondary costs involved, what this policy aims to do is to ease the financial burden on parents whose kids are admitted. https://t.co/7ZUQnFxZQo

— 𓃶 (@0nlydeeks_) August 12, 2024

Your sense didn't tell you the number of students admitted into tertiaries differs p/y. Tertiary in question, is it covering all tertiaries including training colleges or universities? After the 1st yr, students who can't afford tuition fees for the second year should do what? https://t.co/WH2rMR7vfn

— Rich~Mond (@Rich_Mond65) August 12, 2024

No academic fees no 3kyere sen? Which component of tertiary bills is the academic fees? Any akatamanso on the TL to help me understand? https://t.co/afvhYJpZq4

— Wano p3 asem🇳🇬🇬🇭 (@sheshoaa) August 12, 2024