Dr. Clement Apaak, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Manifesto Committee on Education, has defended the party's proposal to eliminate academic fees for all first-year students, highlighting that the initiative is likely to cost the government less than GH¢300 million annually. Speaking on Citi FM on Tuesday, August 13, Apaak explained that the financial burden of paying those fees is a major barrier preventing many WASSCE graduates from advancing to tertiary education. He emphasized that the proposed policy, if implemented, would provide crucial support to students struggling to afford higher education. Citing figures from Africa Education Watch, Clement Apaak noted that less than 200,000 students enrolled in tertiary institutions for the 2023/2024 academic year.