Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC)’s reviewed retirement policy has been vehemently rejected by a group of non-teaching unions in Ghana’s public universities.

The tertiary education regulator’s new retirement policy requires strict enforcement of compulsory retirement at age 60 for non-teaching employees, prohibiting post-retirement contracts or extensions for these staff, unlike what is sometimes granted to academic staff.

Reacting to the directive, which was issued through an official statement and signed by the tertiary education regulator’s Director-General, Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai and dated February 6, the leaders of some non-teaching unions, including Michael Owusu Ansah, George Ansong, Stanley Abopaam, Salamatu Braimah, Ken Yelibo and Gerard Anamjonga, in a rejoinder described the new policy as “unfair, arbitrary and discriminatory”.

They warned that a refusal to withdraw it may disrupt the academic calendar, adding that GTEC did not consult them before developing such a critical policy, which significantly affects them and other persons of interest.

They insist that the policy is being imposed on them, hence the need for a withdrawal.

They also rejected the impression that non-teaching employees do not matter in the governance and management of public universities.

According to the statement, the policy seeks to amend existing conditions of service and university statutes that allow staff to roll over their retirement to the end of the academic year.

The unions argued that universities have already issued retirement letters to staff, indicating the dates they are expected to exit, and that these notices have shaped how affected workers have planned their lives and prepared for retirement in line with the academic calendar.

They described the new directive as an “offence” to staff who have made retirement plans based on the earlier timelines.

The unions have therefore issued a two-week ultimatum, warning that if the policy is not withdrawn within that period and staff are forced to retire in their month of birth instead of at the end of the academic year, they will “advise themselves.”

The statement concluded with a call for urgent action to prevent tensions and avoid disruptions to activities at Ghana’s public universities.

Meanwhile, calls to remove the Director-General of GTEC, Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, have intensified, with the University of Development Studies (UDS) branch of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) joining the fray.

In an engagement with the media on Thursday, January 29, Dr Kamaldeen Yussif indicated that although Professor Jinapor has made some positive contributions, there are still issues elsewhere. According to him, the Director-General of GTEC has consistently ignored calls to address these concerns. “Our argument wasn’t that he has not done anything good. He’s sanitised the academic landscape, and he’s fast-tracked accreditation processes. However, there are some issues that we’ve consistently engaged with him to change so that we will work together amicably. Still, the director and the deputy have insisted over and over again to work beyond what is established for them,” Dr Yussif said.

Last month, the UG branch of UTAG threatened to embark on an industrial action or petition the office of the Chief of Staff if Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai and his Deputy, Prof. Augustine Ocloo, do not resign preemptively by January 31, 2026.

The lecturers' union made this demand in a strongly worded 4-page document dated January 19, signed by its president and secretary, Dr Jerry Joe Harrison and Dr Godfred B. Hagan, respectively, which accused the GTEC bosses of ignoring deep problems in universities, overstepping their legal authority, weakening university governance, and making harmful policy decisions.

“UTAG-UG calls on the DG, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, DDG, Prof. Augustine Ocloo, to resign honourably by 31st of January 2026. Failure to do so will result in (a) a petition to the Chief-of-Staff for their removal, (b) industrial action if necessary”, parts of the statement noted.

According to them, while the tertiary regulator is mandated to seek the interest of tertiary schools in Ghana, it has rather shifted its focus to what the association described as “tangential and sometimes frivolous actions,” including pursuing individuals with alleged fake degrees, while ignoring systemic challenges affecting public tertiary education in Ghana.

It went on to question GTEC’s legal mandate, particularly its involvement in the removal of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong. According to UG-UTAG, the conduct of the public tertiary education regulator has severely affected the quality of education in Ghana.

Consequently, it went on to school GTEC on its mandate, noting that, “GTEC appears to have lost its way and is now being used to settle scores. Instead of promoting good governance in public tertiary education institutions, it engages in actions that undermine it. For instance, under what legal mandate did GTEC remove the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong? If GTEC claims regulatory authority, which specific provision in Act 1023 empowers such an Intervention?

"There is clear confusion at GTEC’s leadership level regarding its advisory versus regulatory roles. Under the advisory role, GTEC is enjoined to “recommend standards and norms on governance, financing, academic programmes, staff costs, accommodation and time utilisation, for the approval of the Minister”.

GTEC announced a freeze on the accreditation of new programmes in General Nursing at both diploma and bachelor’s degree levels.

The tertiary regulator revealed this in a statement on Thursday, Feb 6, explaining that the move is aimed at aligning training with national health-sector needs before allowing more institutions to add programmes.

“The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, acting in accordance with its regulatory and accreditation mandates under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), and guided by national human resource development priorities, hereby announces a suspension of the accreditation of new General Nursing programmes at both diploma and bachelor’s degree levels,” parts of the statement read.

The Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), is the law that restructured Ghana’s education regulatory framework. It merged the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and the National Accreditation Board (NAB) into the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and also established the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET). Its purpose is to regulate, coordinate, and ensure quality in tertiary and technical education.

It continued that, “Accordingly, all tertiary education institutions are hereby notified that GTEC will not receive, process, or consider any new application for General Nursing (diploma or bachelor’s degree) programmes until further notice.”