Over 3,500 Ghanaian students from 22 unaccredited tertiary institutions are facing a looming crisis as their academic qualifications are rendered invalid, potentially jeopardising their mandatory national service and future employment prospects.

This alarming figure was revealed by the Private Universities Students’ Association of Ghana (PUSAG) in a statement as it commended efforts by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to crack down on rogue institutions.

Ibrahim Issah, National President of PUSAG, issued an appeal to the public to address the situation.

"PUSAG urges all students, parents, and guardians to verify the accreditation status of any tertiary institution before enrolling. Information can be confirmed directly via the GTEC website or through PUSAG’s helpdesk."

He further called on the media, civil society, and the general public to support the national campaign against academic fraud, underscoring that "Education is not just a personal aspiration—it is a national asset that must be protected."

The intensified crackdown by GTEC, coupled with PUSAG's robust advocacy, signals a critical period for quality assurance in Ghana's tertiary education sector.

The ultimate goal is to ensure that every Ghanaian student's investment in education leads to accredited, recognised, and respected qualifications, thereby securing their future and contributing meaningfully to national development.

The dire situation for these 3,500-plus students is not new but represents a compounding of a persistent problem as the National Service Authority (NSA) tackles the issue of "ghost names" that have plagued the system.

Students who enrol in unapproved institutions face a multifaceted and devastating blow to their educational and career aspirations:

• Ineligibility for National Service: National service is a compulsory one-year requirement for all Ghanaian graduates from accredited tertiary institutions, aged 18 and above. Without it, graduates are largely barred from formal sector employment, particularly in public service and many private companies.
• Disqualification from Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF): The SLTF explicitly requires students to be admitted to an "accredited tertiary programme in an accredited tertiary institution in Ghana" to qualify for a loan. This means thousands of students who desperately need financial aid are denied support, often after having invested substantial personal or family funds into these unaccredited programmes.
• Rejection of Academic Qualifications: Degrees and certificates from unaccredited institutions hold no weight. Employers in Ghana, both public and private, do not recognise them. Similarly, accredited local and international postgraduate institutions will outright reject such qualifications, effectively closing doors to further academic and professional advancement. This often leaves students with a mountain of debt and worthless paper.

PUSAG's Proactive Response:

Recognising the gravity of the situation, PUSAG, as the national student body for private tertiary institutions, has detailed proactive measures to empower students and combat this systemic fraud:

1. Accreditation Verification Drive: PUSAG has launched a nationwide exercise to verify the accreditation status of every private university and college in Ghana. This initiative aims to create an independent, accessible resource for students to cross-reference official GTEC data and make informed choices.
2. Public Awareness Campaigns: The association plans joint education drives with GTEC to widely disseminate information on how prospective students and their families can verify an institution's accreditation status and avoid falling victim to scams. GTEC's official website remains the primary source for verifying accreditation.
3. Policy Advocacy and Collaboration: PUSAG is committed to ongoing collaboration with GTEC and other stakeholders to strengthen enforcement mechanisms and close regulatory loopholes that continue to allow these "rogue institutions" to operate. This includes advocating for stricter penalties under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), which empowers GTEC to sanction institutions operating contrary to established norms and standards.