A lecturer at the Christian Service University, Rev. Justice Opoku Mensah Boffa, has raised concerns about the potential negative effects of the government’s free first-year tertiary education policy, drawing parallels to challenges faced under the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) pledged ahead of the 2024 elections to cover tuition fees for first-year students in all public universities.
During the 2025 budget presentation in Parliament, the Finance Minister confirmed the allocation of funds to implement this policy.
However, speaking during a panel discussion on Oyerepa Breakfast Time, Rev. Boffa cautioned that while the initiative may benefit students, it could have unintended consequences for private universities.
“The continuous implementation of the free university policy could collapse private universities and render many jobless,” he warned.
He explained that with free tuition in public universities, many prospective students would likely choose public institutions over private ones, leading to a decline in enrollments and financial difficulties for private universities. This, he fears, could force some institutions to shut down, affecting both academic staff and non-teaching employees.
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