NDC promises to absorb 50% of all tertiary students in 2020/2021 academic year

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has pledged that should the party win this year’s general elections in December, it will absorb 50% of fees of tertiary students for the 2020/2021 academic year.

This, according to the party’s presidential running mate, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, will serve as an incentive to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on students and parents.

She was highlighting some aspects of the party’s 2020 manifesto during its launch at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), in Accra on Monday, September 7, 2020.

She said the next NDC government will repeal the Public Universities Act if enacted and allow public universities to exercise the autonomy the Constitution has clothed them with.

Prof. Opoku-Agyeman said the NDC will in its next government establish free Wi-Fi zones in all public and private tertiary institutions, provide free laptops to tertiary students to facilitate participation in virtual classes, and encourage shared laboratory experiences especially for those in the science and technology programmes and include private tertiary institutions.

The party also pledged to abolish the mandatory national service and teacher licensure examinations for graduates of the Colleges of Education.

The party similarly has pledged to restore automatic employment of newly trained teachers, provide free tertiary education for persons with disabilities, and support tertiary institutions to invest in virtual infrastructure.