Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Elikem Kotoko, has emphasized the need for increased investment in public tertiary institutions to ensure the long-term success of President John Dramani Mahama’s recently launched ‘No Fees Stress’ policy.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Monday, July 7, 2025, Mr. Kotoko described the initiative as a laudable effort to expand access to higher education but cautioned that its sustainability hinges on strengthening the country’s public education infrastructure.
Kotoko acknowledged that while the policy is well-meaning, its implementation must confront existing challenges within Ghana’s educational system.
“As much as we agree that this is a commendable approach to supporting education, challenging tasks such as teaching will also come up along the way,” he noted.
He also expressed concern about the overreliance on private tertiary institutions to absorb students under the policy, warning that such institutions may not always align with national development goals.
“There’s been a concern that the net has been cast, but not wide enough, because there are private institutions — and we must not forget that the private person who sets up such an institution is doing so to make a profit,” he said.
To address this imbalance, Kotoko called for deliberate and strategic expansion of public tertiary institutions across the country.
“What we should be calling for is that we must have more public institutions. Every region must have at least three or more public tertiary institutions. That is the way we can expand,” he stated.
He further cited lessons from the evolution of distance learning in Ghana’s tertiary education landscape, noting how some public universities were slow to adapt to emerging trends.
“Years back, the University of Ghana wasn’t doing distance education; it was rather the sister institutions. It looked as though after they captured that market, UG woke up and decided to enter it,” he added.
Mr. Kotoko’s comments add to the broader national conversation about the infrastructure, equity, and long-term planning needed to support inclusive access to higher education under the new policy.
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