The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has issued a stern directive to the University of Ghana (UG) to immediately scrap a controversial 25% fee increase and other new charges for the 2025/2026 academic year, warning of severe sanctions for non-compliance.
In a strongly worded statement dated January 5, 2026, GTEC’s Director-General, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, referenced a prior letter from November 3, 2025 (Ref. No. HA 42/1/01), which explicitly barred all publicly funded tertiary institutions from raising fees this academic year.
Despite the clear instruction, GTEC learned that UG had gone ahead with the hikes and introduced unapproved new fees, prompting the commission to demand swift corrective action.
Prof. Abdulai outlined five key requirements in the letter:
- Reverse all fee increases and additional dues effective immediately.
- Credit continuing students who overpaid beyond last year’s rates for the next academic year.
- Refund the excess paid by final-year students compared to 2024/2025 fees.
- Roll back all dues, including those from the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASSAG), to last year’s levels.
- Halt new fees like the 75th Anniversary dues and Development Levy, unless they existed previously and match prior rates.
They noted that UG “must submit evidence of full compliance to GTEC by January 12, 2026”. The commission cautioned that failure to comply “will result in the institution of serious regulatory sanctions.”
Again, any deviations require written approval from the Minister for Education, with Deputy Minister Dr. Clement Apaak designated as the liaison for discussions. GTEC expressed confidence in UG’s cooperation.
The directive comes amid rising tensions over student affordability in Ghana’s public universities, following widespread protests against fee hikes last year. UG has yet to issue an official response.
Source: www.Kumasimail.com
