Students Loan Fund urges tertiary institutions to admit PWDs without demanding fees

The Students’ Loans Trust Fund (SLTF) has asked public tertiary institutions to admit eligible persons with disabilities (PWDs) without demanding fees. 

It said the SLTF would facilitate the payment of full fees for all validated students with disabilities upon receipt of the necessary data.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the SLTF, Dr Saajida Shiraz, who made the call, indicated that the initiative was a significant step towards promoting inclusive education and ensuring that students with disabilities had access to quality tertiary education.

“The SLTF, under the Ministry of Education, is committed to working with public tertiary institutions to implement this policy effectively,” she said.

Policy

The call by the SLT follows President John Mahama’s launch of the Free Tertiary Education policy for Persons with Disabilities.

The initiative, which fulfilled a campaign pledge by the President, is designed to remove financial barriers and provide equal access to higher education.

SLTF is leading the policy’s implementation to ensure transparency and efficiency.

Dr Shiraz reiterated the Government of Ghana’s commitment to implementing the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities Policy. 

Full coverage

As part of the initiative, the SLTF CEO said the government would cover the full fees of all students with disabilities in public tertiary institutions.

“This initiative is a significant step towards promoting inclusive education and ensuring that students with disabilities have access to quality tertiary education.”

“The SLTF, under the Ministry of Education, is committed to working with public tertiary institutions to implement this policy effectively.

“The SLTF appreciates the cooperation of public tertiary institutions in implementing this policy and looks forward to a continued collaboration,” Dr Shiraz, earlier in a statement, said.

She described the policy as “a testament to the President’s unwavering commitment to inclusivity and equity in education,” and added that it marked “a significant milestone in the government’s efforts to empower persons with disabilities through education.”

Dr Shiraz said  based on lessons from the pilot phase of the “No Fees Stress” initiative, students with disabilities would no longer need to apply directly to the SLTF.

“Instead, public tertiary institutions will provide verified lists of eligible students through the SLTF’s Tertiary Institutions Portal for direct disbursement of full fees,” she explained.

Source: graphic.com.gh