CEO of Student Loan Trust Fund, Dr Saadija Shiraz.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Student Loan Trust Fund (SLTF), Dr Saajida Shiraz, has applauded Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and GETFund Administrator Paul Adjei for their pivotal support in ensuring swift disbursement of student loans for the 2024/2025 academic year.
In a recent interview with Myjoyonline, Dr Shiraz credited the success to President John Dramani Mahama’s “Reset Agenda,” which prioritises investment in Ghana’s human capital through revamping tertiary education financing.
“The President has emphasised the urgency of investing in human capital development, and the SLTF, under my stewardship, is committed to actualising this,” she said.
Highlighting the revived responsiveness of partner agencies, she noted that this marks the first time in four years that the SLTF is able to disburse all approved student loans for a complete academic year. She highlighted the crucial role played by GETFund, which under Mr Paul Adjei’s leadership prioritised timely funding to support the Trust Fund’s operations.
“Honourable Haruna Iddrisu deserves commendation for his leadership, and Mr Paul Adjei for supporting the President’s tertiary education financing reset agenda,” Dr Shiraz affirmed.
Record Disbursement Earns Civil Society Praise
The revitalised SLTF earned public praise when it disbursed second semester loans to 19,703 tertiary students on 1 July 2025, a milestone for the agency, which had been unable to process these payments since the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Africa Education Watch Executive Director Kofi Asare congratulated the effort, calling it “great progress” and urging SLTF to sustain the model while boosting loan amounts to better reflect actual educational costs.
What Changed and Why It Matters
Strong Government Support
Reset Ghana Agenda: Focuses on fast-tracking human capital development.
Ministerial Coordination: Education Ministry and GETFund aligned seamlessly to channel resources to SLTF.
Institutional Synergy
GETFund Resources: By strategically increasing GETFund allocations to SLTF, financial bottlenecks were eased.
Operational Commitment: SLTF restructured to process loan approvals and disburse funds promptly.
Tangible Impact
Widespread Coverage: Nearly 20,000 students benefited in the 2024/2025 academic year.
Mitigating Academic Disruptions: Students no longer face delays in financing their studies.
Civil Society Acclaim: African Education Watch highlighted the rapid second-semester disbursement as a model worth replicating.
Dr Shiraz reiterated that the SLTF is committed to working collaboratively with key stakeholders to ensure student loan processes continue to improve.
With robust leadership from the Education Minister and GETFund’s unwavering backing, SLTF is delivering on its mission and earning praise across sectors for building a more responsive tertiary education financing system.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
