By Lawrence Odoom
The Student Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) has announced that disbursements for the second semester of the 2025/2026 academic year will commence before the end of this week, following the successful settlement of all first-semester obligations.
The Fund confirmed it has secured adequate government funding to sustain operations and expand access for tertiary students nationwide.
Addressing the media on Thursday, June 11, Chief Executive Officer Dr. Saajida Shiraz explained that while progress under the No Academic Fee Stress Policy has been substantial, a number of students are yet to receive reimbursements due to lingering validation challenges.
“Since the start of the No Academic Fee Stress Policy, the Fund has been given about GHC1.3 bllion that is the total. In 2025, we received about GHC499 million, and we have received this year GHC537 million to implement.[2026]
“To date, we have disbursed about GHC830 million of the funds. About 310,000 students in total. We have paid all first-semester loans, and this week, we will commence the payments of second-semester loans to close to 80, 000 students,” she stated.
Dr. Shiraz further confirmed that students of the Ghana Law School will also be integrated into the loan scheme, broadening its reach to professional legal education.
Meanwhile, Head of Repayment and Recovery, Rosemary Aryee, issued a stern appeal to graduates who have completed their programmes to honor their repayment obligations, stressing that sustainability hinges on collective responsibility.
“Some of the phones the beneficiaries carry are more expensive than the loans they take. So we do not take kindly to statements like I do not work, so you can’t repay your loan.
“The phones and data they use are all indications that they can pay their loans if they want to. We’re just appealing to the students to pay their loans, because the longer you leave it, the more interest it accumulates,” she cautioned.
The upcoming disbursement is expected to alleviate financial pressure on nearly 80,000 students as academic activities intensify across tertiary institutions.