More than a year after the rollout of the government’s flagship No-Fees-Stress policy, several Level 100 students under the 2026 beneficiary cohort say they are still waiting for reimbursement of academic fees they paid at the beginning of the academic year.
The initiative was introduced to ease the financial burden on first-year students in public tertiary institutions by refunding approved academic fees through a dedicated government portal. However, despite completing all required application procedures, many beneficiaries report that the promised payments have yet to be received.
Some affected students say the delay has placed significant strain on their families, particularly those who depended on the reimbursement to settle education-related debts.
One student explained that his parents had taken a loan in anticipation of the refund, expecting it would help offset tuition and other essential costs. Another student noted that many families made financial plans based on the policy, and the continued delay is now creating uncertainty as institutions prepare for the next academic semester.
The students are therefore calling on authorities to provide clear timelines for disbursement, improve communication on the status of payments, and expedite the process to ensure beneficiaries receive their funds before the new academic term begins.
The No-Fees-Stress policy remains one of the government’s flagship interventions aimed at expanding access to tertiary education and reducing financial pressure on students. However, the ongoing delays in reimbursements risk eroding public confidence in the programme and placing additional financial pressure on households that relied on its promises.
