For many young Ghanaians with disabilities, getting admitted to a tertiary institution is the easier half. Then come the fees, accommodation, assistive technology, transport, learning materials and a long list of smaller costs. For years those costs have made talented students defer, drop out, or never apply.
That is why Ghana’s Free Tertiary Education Initiative for Persons with Disabilities matters. At its launch it was presented as a commitment to inclusion and equal opportunity, and as more than a scholarship scheme. It aims to cover fees for eligible students with disabilities at public tertiary institutions, which removes one of the biggest obstacles between those students and a qualification.
We welcome it. Education is still one of the surest routes to a better income and a stronger position in society. Graduates with disabilities are better placed to find work, start businesses and take part in the country’s development. Ghana talks a great deal about digital transformation, entrepreneurship and the future of work. It will not get there while this much talent is left outside the lecture hall.
Fees are only part of the cost of studying
Paying the fees does not make a university inclusive. Many students with disabilities still meet lecture halls they cannot get into, too little assistive technology, thin learning support, digital platforms that do not work for them, and transport problems. A student can have every fee paid and still be shut out of much of campus life.
Fixing that is work for institutions, policymakers, technology companies and civil society together. Universities should invest in accessible online learning platforms. Lecture materials should come in formats that work for different disabilities. Campuses should be built for all their students.
Technology can close some of these gaps. Screen readers, speech-to-text and newer AI-based tools make an inclusive classroom far easier to run than it used to be. The hard part is making sure those tools are available, affordable and part of how teaching is done.
How we will know it worked
At TechAble we believe a disability should never decide the quality of someone’s education or what they can do with it afterwards. Free tertiary education is a real step toward that.
Finishing the job will take accessible classrooms, accessible technology, and a view of persons with disabilities as professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders.
We will judge this policy by how many students graduate, find good work, build careers and start businesses without needless barriers in their way. The number of fees paid will tell us much less.
