GTEC Boss Urges Ghanaians to Choose Accredited Tertiary Institutions

The Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Professor Ahmed Abdulai Jinapor, has encouraged students and professionals to consider accredited Ghanaian tertiary institutions when making decisions about their education.

He said local universities and other accredited tertiary institutions have the academic expertise, facilities and human resources needed to deliver education that meets international standards.

Professor Jinapor made the remarks at the investiture of Professor Denis Warlonyo Aheto as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), where he represented the Minister of Education.

His call comes amid concerns over individuals obtaining qualifications from institutions whose programmes or certificates may not meet recognised quality standards. He urged prospective students to verify the accreditation status of institutions and programmes before committing their resources.

Professor Jinapor said Ghana’s tertiary education sector has institutions capable of producing graduates who can compete both locally and internationally.

He emphasised that GTEC’s responsibility includes regulating the sector, protecting academic standards and ensuring that students and professionals receive value from the qualifications they pursue.

According to him, the Commission has taken steps to identify institutions whose qualifications do not meet the required standards and has published information to help the public make informed decisions.

He clarified that such regulatory actions are not intended to prevent people from pursuing education but rather to protect them from investing in programmes that may not provide recognised qualifications.

Professor Jinapor also addressed the recent High Court decision concerning qualifications awarded by Universidad Empresarial de Costa Rica (UNEM). He said GTEC respects the court’s ruling and will comply with the directives while maintaining its commitment to quality assurance within Ghana’s tertiary education sector.

Turning his attention to UCC, Professor Jinapor described Professor Aheto’s investiture as an important moment for the institution, which began as a university college in 1962 and has since expanded significantly.

He noted that UCC, which was initially established to train professional teachers, has grown into a major tertiary institution serving more than 74,000 learners across a wide range of programmes.

The GTEC Director-General acknowledged the contributions of successive Vice-Chancellors to the University’s development, including Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, UCC’s first female Vice-Chancellor, whose leadership, he said, helped inspire women across Ghana.

He also highlighted Professor Aheto’s connection to UCC as a former student and his academic and professional experience.

Professor Jinapor particularly pointed to the new Vice-Chancellor’s work in coastal management and climate resilience as evidence of his commitment to research aimed at addressing pressing challenges facing Ghana and the wider world.