In a landmark decision that marks a major victory for educational inclusion and student advocacy, the Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has approved the inclusion of Ghana School of Law (GSL) students under the Students Loan Trust Fund Plus (SLTF+) scheme.
The announcement ends decades of exclusion that left professional law students without access to state-supported financial aid—despite their recognized status within Ghana’s tertiary education system.
For years, students of the Ghana School of Law faced high tuition, examination, and accommodation costs without loan support, forcing many to rely on family or private borrowing. That inequity has now been corrected after a sustained campaign led by the GSL Student Representative Council (SRC), backed by student leaders from across tertiary institutions.
At the forefront of this national advocacy was Maame Ekua Otenewa Oduro, a student leader from the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), whose coordination and engagement with policymakers helped keep the issue on the national agenda. Alongside GSL SRC President Nana Opoku Ware, the coalition of student leaders submitted petitions, held stakeholder meetings, and persistently lobbied for fairness in access to student financing.
Their efforts have paid off. With Minister Haruna Iddrisu’s approval, law students will now benefit from the SLTF+ scheme, which provides comprehensive financial support for tuition and related academic expenses.
Speaking on the development, education analysts have described the Minister’s decision as “progressive and empathetic”, emphasizing that it aligns with Ghana’s broader goal of ensuring equal access to tertiary education. The move also reaffirms the Education Ministry’s commitment to supporting both academic and professional students under a unified financial assistance framework.
The implementation phase—expected to begin in the next academic year—will see the Students Loan Trust Fund working closely with the Ministry of Education and the Ghana School of Law to operationalize the policy.
For student advocates, the decision represents a defining moment for youth activism in Ghana. It serves as a reminder that persistent, strategic advocacy can drive meaningful reform even within long-standing policy frameworks.
As the news spreads, the achievement continues to inspire student groups nationwide, reinforcing the idea that purposeful engagement—not protest alone—remains one of the strongest tools for change in Ghana’s education sector.
