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President John Dramani Mahama has commended the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, for his exceptional leadership and commitment to inclusive policy implementation in Ghana’s education sector. Speaking at the launch of the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities policy at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on Thursday, October 24, President Mahama praised Iddrisu for steering people-centered reforms that prioritize access and equity. According to the President, the education minister has shown remarkable “leadership, policy direction, and people-centeredness,” particularly in advancing the government’s No Fees Stress and Free Tertiary for Persons with Disabilities initiatives. He noted that under Iddrisu’s guidance, the Ministry of Education has been driven by the ethos “Nihil de nobis, sine nobis”, meaning “Nothing about us without us.” The President said the Minister continues to emphasize the importance of involving the very people affected by policy decisions in shaping solutions that meet their needs. Iddrisu, the President said, has been instrumental in ensuring the active participation of persons with disabilities and relevant stakeholders in policy design and execution. This commitment led to the establishment of the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities Committee, co-chaired by Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abass Apak, and the President of the Ghana Federation for Persons with Disabilities, Joseph Atsu Humadzi. The committee also includes representatives from the Ministry of Education’s Policy, Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, the Ghana Tertiary Education Council, the National Council on Persons with Disabilities, and students with disabilities. President Mahama further acknowledged the Education Minister’s efforts in facilitating consultations with key institutions, including the Parliamentary Select Committees on Education and Disability, Vice Chancellors Ghana, Principals of Colleges of Education, Health Training Institutions, Colleges of Agriculture, the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and civil society organizations such as Africa Education Watch and the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations (GFD). He cited Iddrisu’s leadership in convening a stakeholder engagement on September 5, 2025, to assess the pilot phase of the No Fees Stress Initiative and refine its implementation for the 2025/26 academic year. The inputs gathered, the President said, have been “instrumental in synthesizing our approach” for the future of inclusive education. President Mahama concluded by thanking Iddrisu for his vision and “people-first leadership,” which has strengthened Ghana’s efforts to make tertiary education more accessible and equitable for all, especially persons with disabilities. “Guided by empathy and a deep sense of service, Haruna Iddrisu has helped shape a ministry that listens, engages, and delivers,” the President said.
