Government has rescinded its policy directive on admissions that disqualifies WASSCE candidates with D7 and E8 grades from gaining admission into tertiary education.

The government through the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and the National Accreditation Board (NAB) issued a directive that tertiary institutions should not admit students with grades D7 and E8 as a means of raising the standard of education in the country.

But in an interview with Joy News on Wednesday, Deputy Education Minister, Samuel Akudzeto Ablakwa announced that the “matter has been resolved” and polytechnics can now admit students with those grades.

He said the decision was taken following a meeting with polytechnic rectors on Tuesday, and a subsequent one he held with the National Council for Tertiary Education and the National Accreditation Board.

He explained that government rescinded its decision because the large number of reduction in admissions was “quite startling”. He stated that the ten polytechnics in the country which used to admit about 47,000 would only be able to admit less than 5,000 due to the earlier directive.

 “We have agreed [with NAB and NCTE] that the students with D7 and E8 should be admitted this year; however, they will run an amended assess course which will now be on a three month duration, which will run parallel with the normal academic calendar.

“Students who will pass the affected subjects which will be supervised by NCTE will continue with their programmes, but if you fail to pass your assess examination after the three months then you would have to be withdrawn from the polytechnic.”

Mr Ablakwa was hopeful the latest directive would enable the polytechnics to admit the numerous students who may not gain admission into public universities this year.

 Polytechnic rectors had described the barring of the D7 and E8 grades as a national crisis in polytechnic education.

But Rector of Kumasi Polytechnic, Professor Nicholas Nsowah-Nuah, told Joy News the latest development “is an excellent solution” to the admissions problem.

He said because of the new directive, polytechnics will extend the admission deadlines.

He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Education Ministry and the other stakeholders for the decision.