The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed tertiary education institutions to desist from introducing entrance examinations as a mandatory precondition for admission, describing the practice as inconsistent with Ghana's approved admissions framework.

The Commission in a circular dated July 20, 2026 explained that the directive is intended to safeguard fairness, transparency, and equal access to tertiary education while ensuring institutions comply with national admission standards.

In a circular signed by the Director-General of GTEC, Prof Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai and copied to all tertiary institutions, the Commission said it has observed with concern that some institutions were requiring prospective students to pass entrance examinations before being considered for admission, effectively bypassing or replacing the nationally approved minimum entry requirements based on the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

According to GTEC, the practice undermines equitable access to tertiary education and was inconsistent with the national admissions policy, which recognises WASSCE results as the primary qualification for entry into tertiary institutions.

"The Commission has noted with concern that some tertiary institutions are introducing entrance examinations that operate as preconditions for admission, effectively bypassing or superseding the minimum entry requirements based on WASSCE results. This practice is inconsistent with the national admissions framework and undermines equitable access to tertiary education."

Compliance

To ensure compliance, GTEC has instructed all heads of tertiary institutions to ensure that admissions remain based on the prescribed minimum entry requirements, with WASSCE results serving as the principal basis for admission.

The Commission clarified that entrance examinations may only be used as an additional assessment tool for highly competitive programmes and must not become a prerequisite that overrides the minimum WASSCE-based admission requirements.

GTEC further directed any institution that has issued, or plans to issue, admission notices making entrance examinations a compulsory condition for admission to immediately withdraw such notices and align their admission processes with the existing regulatory framework.

"The Commission respectfully requests that any institution which has issued, or intends to issue, admission notices requiring entrance examinations as a precondition for admission withdraw such notices and align its admission processes with the applicable regulatory framework, it added.

GTEC reminded universities and other higher education institutions that, under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), it has the statutory mandate to develop and implement policies governing admission criteria for tertiary education in Ghana.

"The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), established under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), draws the attention of all tertiary institutions to the Commission's statutory mandate to develop and implement policy on criteria or requirements for admission to tertiary education institutions in the country," the statement read.