We’re considering loan system for needy tertiary students – Nana Addo

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says his administration is looking towards a loan system that will adequately cater for deprived students who can’t pay for tertiary education.

This comes on the back of his administration’s much-touted free Senior High School and Technical and Vocational Education and Training introduced in 2017.

Following this, there have been growing concerns about how persons from very deprived homes will be able to access tertiary education.

Though he did not give timelines, he promised that the policy will be adequately spelt out in the NPP’s 2020 manifesto.

Speaking on Kumasi-based Wontumi radio in the Ashanti Region, the President said the initiative was geared towards developing the human resources of the country.

“The number one asset of any country is its people. If you can commit to developing the people, you are committed to the development of the country. That is why I have indicated that if I am voted into power, free Senior High School will be a priority for us.”

“Also, we are looking at how to make universities accessible. We don’t have funding for free tertiary education, but we can organise a system where the government will give loans to students and they can repay after their education. We have to move that way because we want the development of our human material as a matter of urgent priority. We are not going to give a timetable to it, but we will take steps to implement it.”

President Akufo-Addo added that his focus on education is rooted in his knowledge that all advanced countries focused on education.

“This motivated me to also make education my number one priority because I have come to realize that what matters to every country determined to succeed is to develop the human capacity; the people”.