The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has secured the firm commitment of the Christian Council of Ghana to support the Commission’s mandate of protecting the integrity of the country’s tertiary education system.
The assurance was given by the General Secretary of the Council, Rev. Dr. Cyril G. K. Fayose, when the Director-General of GTEC, Professor Ahmed Jinapor, together with his management team, paid a courtesy call on the leadership of the Council. The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration to address the improper use of academic titles and the proliferation of unaccredited institutions.
Rev. Dr. Fayose reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to ensuring full compliance by its members with GTEC’s directives, particularly on the use of academic nomenclature. He underscored the need for consistency and fairness in enforcement, noting that “if it is wrong, it is wrong irrespective of who is involved.” He further raised concerns about unaccredited foreign institutions offering doctoral programmes, stressing the importance of continuous public sensitisation and the publication of accredited institutions to safeguard prospective students.
In his remarks, Prof. Jinapor commended the Council for its readiness to collaborate with the Commission. He clarified that while individuals and organisations may bestow honorary recognitions, such acknowledgements must not be misrepresented as earned academic qualifications.
He reiterated that the title “Professor” is reserved exclusively for academic professionals within accredited institutions, and may only be conferred by the Governing Council of a chartered university based on merit and academic credentials. He emphasised that the designation “honorary professor” does not exist under Ghana’s tertiary education framework, cautioning that its usage misleads the public and may amount to fraudulent conduct.
On the issue of unaccredited institutions, Prof. Jinapor urged the public to verify the accreditation status of any institution before enrolling for higher academic programmes, assuring that GTEC remains committed to enforcing the provisions of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023) to preserve the credibility of Ghana’s tertiary education sector