A petition has been submitted to the Council of the Kumasi Technical University (KsTU) urging it to take immediate action on a Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) directive that blacklisted several foreign universities — one of which is the institution from which the University’s Vice Chancellor obtained his PhD.
The petition references a recent GTEC circular that identified 50 institutions worldwide as unaccredited or unrecognised, warning all tertiary institutions in Ghana that qualifications from any of these schools are invalid for academic progression, professional licensing, or appointment into positions of responsibility.
According to the petitioners, the vice chancellor’s awarding institution appears as number 10 on the list, making its credentials ineligible for use in Ghana’s regulated academic environment.
In their submission to the council, the petitioners note that during the vice chancellor’s investiture, his profile — which also appears on the official website for Vice Chancellors of Technical Universities — confirm that his PhD was obtained from the said unrecognised university.
They argue that this places KsTU in direct violation of GTEC’s directive and undermines the regulatory standards expected of public tertiary institutions.
The petition stresses that the directive is not ambiguous and that;
– Degrees from the listed institutions are unapproved;
– Holders of such qualifications cannot use them for employment, promotion, or elevation to higher academic or administrative roles in Ghana.
– Public universities are required to audit and regularise the qualifications of all staff in line with the directive.
6 University of Ghana learning centres operating without accreditation – GTEC
Against this backdrop, the petitioners are calling on the council to immediately review the vice chancellor’s eligibility to hold office, insisting that compliance with national tertiary education regulations is non-negotiable.
According to them, allowing the situation to persist risks discrediting the university, compromising quality assurance processes, and setting a damaging precedent for other tertiary institutions.
They maintain that GTEC issued the directive to protect the integrity of Ghana’s higher education ecosystem, insisting that enforcement must begin from the top.
The petitioners are, therefore, appealing to the University Council, which has supervisory authority over appointments and regulatory compliance, to “uphold the integrity of the institution by ensuring full alignment with national directives on qualification standards.”
The KTU Council is yet to issue a formal statement on the matter; however, senior administrative sources hint that the issue is likely to be discussed at the next scheduled council meeting.
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