Reverse 25% Fee Hikes or Face Sanctions – GTEC Directs University of Ghana

By ZED NEWSROOM
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed the University of Ghana (UG) to immediately reverse all fee increases introduced for the 2025/2026 academic year, warning that failure to comply will attract serious regulatory sanctions.
In a letter dated January 5, 2026, and signed by the Director-General of GTEC, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, the Commission said it had become aware that the University of Ghana had increased student fees by about 25 per cent and, in some instances, introduced new charges without obtaining the requisite approvals from the appropriate authorities.
The letter, addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, stated that the fee adjustments violate an earlier directive issued by GTEC on November 3, 2025. That directive explicitly instructed all publicly funded tertiary institutions not to implement any fee increases for the 2025/2026 academic year without prior parliamentary approval, as stipulated by law.
GTEC described the university’s action as a clear contravention of the Fees and Charges Act and regulatory guidelines governing public tertiary institutions.
As part of immediate corrective measures, the Commission ordered the University of Ghana to reverse all fee increments and suspend the collection of any newly introduced charges. It further directed that continuing students who have already paid the increased fees should have the excess amounts credited to their accounts for use in the next academic year.
Final-year students who have paid fees above the approved rates for the previous academic year are to be refunded the difference, the Commission said. In addition, all existing dues, including SRC and GRASSAG charges, must be reverted to their 2024/2025 academic year levels.
GTEC also instructed the university to suspend the collection of any new fees or levies, including charges such as the 75th Anniversary dues and Development Levy, where these were newly introduced. The Commission stressed that all fees must remain at the 2024/2025 levels unless explicitly authorised.
The University of Ghana has been given up to January 12, 2026, to submit evidence of full compliance with the directives. GTEC warned that failure to meet the deadline would result in the imposition of serious regulatory sanctions.
The Commission further emphasised that any variation from the directive must receive express written approval from the Minister for Education. It added that the Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, has been designated as the liaison between the Ministry of Education and the University of Ghana on the issue.
GTEC reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing compliance with tertiary education regulations and ensuring transparency, accountability and fairness in the management of public universities across the country.