The Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Professor Ahmed Abdulai Jinapor, has urged Ghanaians to have confidence in the country’s tertiary education system and patronise accredited local universities.
He said Ghanaian universities have the capacity, expertise and facilities to provide quality education that could compete globally, urging students and professionals to carefully consider the credibility of institutions before enrolling.
Professor Jinapor made the call at the investiture of Prof. Denis Warlonyo Aheto as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
The investiture brought together government officials, academics, traditional leaders, members of the diplomatic community and other stakeholders to witness the beginning of Professor Aheto’s tenure as Vice-Chancellor.
“Purchase Ghana education,” Prof. Jinapor stressed, adding that accredited Ghanaian universities were producing graduates who were capable of competing on the international stage.
Prof. Jinapor, who represented the Minister of Education, said the call has become necessary due to growing concerns about the credibility of some qualifications obtained from unrecognised institutions.
He explained that while GTEC respected individual choices, prospective students need to conduct due diligence before investing their time and resources in academic programmes that would not meet quality standards.
He said Ghana’s tertiary institutions were staffed by highly qualified academics, equipped with modern facilities and committed to producing graduates with relevant knowledge and skills.
“Some of the universities and accredited private tertiary institutions offer world-class programmes that are recognised both locally and internationally. There is no substitute for the quality, rigour and accomplishments that come from Ghanaian tertiary education institutions,” he said.
Prof. Jinapor said GTEC remained committed to protecting the integrity of Ghana’s tertiary education system through effective regulation, accreditation and quality assurance.
He said the Commission has recently published a list of institutions whose qualifications were not recognised due to concerns relating to quality assurance.
He explained that the action was not intended to discourage people from pursuing education but to protect students and professionals from investing in programmes that would not provide the expected value.
The Director General also referred to a recent High Court ruling, which quashed a directive issued by GTEC that refused to recognise qualifications awarded by Universidad Empresarial de Costa Rica (UNEM), and that GTEC’s decision was unlawful and violated the rights of the affected graduates.
Prof. Jinapor said GTEC respected the decision and would comply with the court's directives; however, the ruling has not weakened the Commission’s resolve to ensure that qualifications within Ghana’s tertiary education space meet acceptable standards.
Prof. Jinapor described the investiture of Prof. Aheto as a significant moment in the history of UCC, which has grown from a university college established in 1962 to one of Ghana’s leading institutions.
He said the University, which started with the mandate of training professional teachers, had expanded its programmes and now served more than 74,000 learners.
He commended previous Vice-Chancellors for their contributions towards building the institution. He acknowledged the role of the University’s first female Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, in inspiring women across the country.
Professor Jinapor said Prof. Aheto, a product of UCC, brought extensive academic and professional experience to the position.
He noted that the new Vice-Chancellor’s work in coastal management and climate resilience demonstrated his commitment to using research to address national and global challenges.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC
