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Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu Sets Up Committee to Investigate Rising Hostel Fees in Tertiary Institutions

The Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has announced the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the alarming rise in hostel accommodation fees across Ghana’s tertiary institutions.

This decisive move comes in response to widespread complaints from students and parents about exorbitant charges, limited on-campus accommodation, and the heavy financial burden placed on families.

Background to the Crisis

Student accommodation has become one of the most pressing challenges in Ghana’s tertiary education sector. Many students report:

Private hostels charging as high as GH¢20,000 to GH¢24,000 per academic year for single or shared rooms.
Acute shortage of on-campus hostels, forcing thousands of students to seek private options.
Rising fees making it difficult for many students, especially those from low-income backgrounds, to afford decent accommodation.

The situation has sparked public outcry, with students calling for government intervention to regulate private hostel operators and expand public hostel facilities.

Minister’s Announcement

Hon. Haruna Iddrisu made the announcement during the swearing-in ceremony of the governing councils of the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences (UEAS) and other institutions.

He assured students and stakeholders that the government will not allow unchecked private partnerships to dictate unaffordable fees.

“Be assured that the government will simply not run on the principles of private partnership, where unlimited fee guidelines will dictate the pace. We will be social, and we will reflect social values and concerns in the delivery of that public good.” Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education

Details of the Committee

The committee will:

Engage university authorities, private hostel operators, student groups, and regulatory bodies (including the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission – GTEC).
Investigate the causes of the sharp increase in hostel fees.
Recommend practical and sustainable solutions to ensure fairness and affordability.
Work closely with the Ministry of Education and Vice-Chancellors of universities.

Government’s Commitment

The Minister emphasised that student accommodation is a public good that must reflect social values. The government aims to strike a balance between encouraging private investment in hostels and protecting students from exploitative pricing.

This initiative forms part of broader efforts to make tertiary education more accessible and reduce the indirect costs that often discourage students from completing their programmes.