In an effort to enforce regulatory compliance throughout the country’s tertiary sector, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) issued a strong directive requiring all public universities to immediately maintain current student fees for the upcoming 2025–2026 Academic Year.
The directive, which was issued on November 3, 2025, expressly forbids institutions from enacting any new fees for the 2025–2026 academic year unless they have obtained the previous approval from Parliament that is required by the constitution.
The GTEC noted that public postsecondary educational institutions have “over the years, reviewed student fees without adhering to proper procedures,” a practice that has resulted in serious “implementation difficulties.” This observation prompted the regulatory action.
The circular stresses that this measure is necessary “to ensure compliance with statutory requirements under the Fees and Charges Act”, which governs how state entities, including public universities, set their charges.
The statement, issued under the subject “2025/2026 ACADEMIC YEAR FEES”, explicitly reminds Vice Chancellors of their legal obligations:
“Vice Chancellors are hereby reminded to maintain the current student fees and only implement the revised fees for the 2025/2026 academic year after obtaining approval from Parliament.”
On behalf of the Director General, Dr. Emmanuel Oware Nyarko, Director, Quality Assurance & Compliance, signed the instruction, indicating a high-level commitment to upholding the law.
The vice chancellors of all traditional universities and all technical universities received the letter directly. In order to ensure that student financial obligations are transparent, lawful, and non-exploitative as the new academic year begins, the directive serves as a clear signal to postsecondary institutions that any fee modifications are subject to strict legislative examination.
