President John Dramani Mahama, speaking at the launch of the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disability on Friday, described the policy as a moral responsibility rather than an act of charity.
“Each student supported under this policy becomes an asset to our nation. A potential engineer, a teacher, an entrepreneur, a farmer or an innovator. Their success will strengthen Ghana’s economy and enrich our collective humanity,” President Mahama said.
He added that the policy, which aims to provide equal access to higher education, particularly for persons with disabilities, is a strategic investment in Ghana’s most valuable resource: its people.
Mr Mahama noted that it was a reminder that a nation’s soul is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens.
“Today, we gather to mark a new and defining moment in Ghana’s journey towards inclusion and equality.”
Quoting former South African President Nelson Mandela, President Mahama said: “A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens but its lowest ones.”
President Mahama said that according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, there are more than two million Ghanaians living with disabilities. However, behind this statistic, behind this figure, are real human stories, he said.
“Stories of perseverance, of talent waiting to be nurtured and of dreams that deserve to be fulfilled. Too many still face barriers of poverty, of stigma, of lack of access to education and livelihood opportunities,” he added.
He rallied all stakeholders, including corporate Ghana, to make a conscious effort to promote inclusion across the board.
“Our collective task, therefore, is to ensure that no Ghanaian is denied the chance to learn, to work and to serve because of disability. Ghana has not been idle in this effort.”
President Mahama noted that in 2015, his government introduced the Inclusive Education Policy, which opened mainstream schools to learners with disabilities and began transforming the country’s educational culture.
“Today, we are advancing that vision one bold step further. The Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities Initiative fulfils a pledge I made to the people of Ghana to make higher education accessible to all, regardless of financial condition or circumstances,” the President said.
The President explained that the implementation will be led by the revamped Student Loan Trust Fund, which has now been modernised and digitised to ensure transparency, efficiency, and sustainability.
He further disclosed that the Scholarship Secretariat has previously administered a limited scholarship for persons with disabilities. With the launch of the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities, the scholarship package will be integrated into the new universal disability scholarship under the Student Loan Trust Fund.
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu (MP), announced that, under President Mahama’s directive, GETFUND shall make an annual contribution of GHS 50 million in support of the Student Loan Trust Fund and the no-fees-stress policy.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.