The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, has welcomed Parliament’s decision to amend the law governing private tertiary institutions, describing the move as a practical step toward strengthening Ghana’s higher education system.
The amendment makes the acquisition of a presidential charter optional for private tertiary institutions and removes the earlier requirement that such institutions must obtain a charter within six years of operation.
The change revises provisions under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020 (Act 1023), which had previously required all tertiary institutions to transition into full universities within a specified timeframe.
Mr Asare said the amendment reflects concerns that had been raised by education stakeholders during consultations on the implementation of the law. Mr Asare recalled participating as a panelist during stakeholder consultations that examined the effects of the law on Ghana’s tertiary education sector.
During those discussions, he argued that the policy direction of compelling every tertiary institution to become a university was inconsistent with how higher education systems operate globally. “Not every tertiary institution aims to or must become a university,” he said. “No country compels this through law.”
He explained that tertiary education systems across the world are made up of different types of institutions that serve varied academic, professional, and research purposes.
Role of Specialized Institutions
According to Mr Asare, some institutions are specifically designed to operate as research institutes rather than universities. He pointed to examples such as the Institute for Fiscal Studies in the United Kingdom and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in the United States, which focus primarily on policy and scientific research rather than traditional university education.
He added that many other institutions around the world function as professional colleges, specialist institutes, or vocational schools. Institutions such as the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration and the Ghana School of Law, he noted, provide specialised education within specific professional fields without necessarily operating as full universities.
These institutions, he said, play a critical role in developing professional expertise and supporting national development. Mr Asare also highlighted examples of institutions that have deliberately maintained specialised academic mandates rather than transitioning into broad research universities.
He cited University College Birmingham, which has existed for nearly seven decades while focusing primarily on hospitality, tourism, business, and culinary education. Similarly, the University College of Estate Management has operated for over a century with a specialised focus on real estate and the built environment.
According to Mr Asare, these examples demonstrate that institutional specialisation can be an effective and respected model within higher education. He argued that forcing institutions to adopt the same academic structure in the name of standards risks undermining the diversity and flexibility that tertiary education systems require.
Risk of Institutional Closures
Mr Asare warned that strict enforcement of the earlier provisions of Act 1023 could have had significant consequences for the tertiary education sector. He explained that many private tertiary institutions would have struggled to meet the six year requirement to obtain a presidential charter and transition into universities.
According to him, such a scenario could have resulted in the closure of more than ninety percent of private tertiary institutions by 2026. The resulting impact, he said, would likely have included job losses across the education sector and reduced access to tertiary education for students.
Mr Asare emphasised that improving standards in higher education requires stronger regulatory oversight rather than forcing institutions into a single institutional model. He argued that academic quality depends largely on effective regulation, consistent monitoring, and strict enforcement of standards across all institutions.
“The real way to improve standards is not to force every tertiary institution into the same mould. It is to strengthen institutional regulation and enforce academic standards across the entire tertiary system.”
Executive Director of Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), Kofi Asare
He stressed that universities, colleges, research institutes, and professional schools each play distinct roles within a well functioning higher education system. Following the amendment, Mr Asare urged the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission to focus on strengthening quality assurance mechanisms across the sector.
He said the commission must develop robust frameworks that support institutional compliance while maintaining strict oversight of academic standards. According to him, enforcement alone is not sufficient and must be complemented by supportive regulatory systems that help institutions meet established standards.
Commendation for Policy Leadership
Mr Asare commended Haruna Iddrisu for what he described as leadership in facilitating broad consultations that contributed to the amendment of the law. He also acknowledged the role of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education and its chairman Peter Nortsu-Kotoe in guiding the legislative process.
In addition, he praised Kingsley Nyarko, Member of Parliament for Kwadaso, noting that he had raised similar concerns when the law was first passed in 2020 during his earlier role within the tertiary education regulatory framework.
Mr Asare expressed hope that the amendment will support a more balanced and effective tertiary education system that recognises institutional diversity while maintaining strong academic standards.
Referencing a traditional proverb, he emphasised that institutions should not be measured using identical criteria when their purposes differ. “You cannot judge a fish by the same yardstick as a bird,” he said.
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